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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22446367">Until It's Gone</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/addyrobin/pseuds/addyrobin'>addyrobin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Flock - D&amp;D Campaign, Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Light Angst, M/M, Magical Coma, light mystery, light shipping</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:40:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,482</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22446367</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/addyrobin/pseuds/addyrobin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mysterious circumstances have locked Rahmi Romazi into a seemingly endless sleep. Now that he won't wake up, what are his colleagues to do? And if he really is beyond help... What will their lives feel like without his presence?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aniqe Lameraigne/Florian Jovault (if you squint), Rahmi Romazi/Aniqe Lameraigne, Rahmi Romazi/Everyone to be honest, Rahmi Romazi/Florian Jovault (also if you squint), Rahmi Romazi/Razeiya Faoric (IF YOU SQUINT AS HARD AS YOU CAN)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Fairy Tales</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm back on my bullshit, and proud of it! Here's an extraordinarily long piece about my D&amp;D character, Rahmi Romazi, based on a concept that I've had in my notes for a long time. I finally decided to just throw myself at it over the past month because hyperfixations are fun! I like to, uh, pretend that Rahmi is really important to the NPCs around him. But. You know,. That could totally just. be me. and my imagination. And my ever beating shipper's heart.</p><p>Among other things, this is a writing exercise in both character voices and how other non-party characters would react to the absence of Rahmi in their lives, but. In a very self-indulgent way. Also contains light shipping, for Rahmi and (almost) ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*everyone!*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧</p><p>It generally starts out rough and jumps around scenes pretty haphazardly at first, since this was just a self-indulgent thing and I wanted to get straight to the Good Content without filler, but it starts feeling itself over time. I'll try to include some terms in the chapter notes!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“He won’t…” Aniqe swallows, her eyes to the floor. “He won’t wake up, Razeiya.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her last statement makes Faoric finally look up, and his eyes narrow. “Magic at play?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I… I checked everything I could think of. He’s just…” She falters, her voice growing quieter. “He was badly injured. Even healing magic isn’t doing anything…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then attempt something else. I can hardly afford to have yet another retainer out of commission...” Faoric returns to his papers. Aniqe wouldn’t believe how cold he’s being if it weren’t his standard behavior.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We… We </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> try other things, Razeiya.” She stares at the floor, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “We’ve tried everything. He just… He won’t…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have his allies been called upon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. They’ve tried, too. Repeatedly.” Despite herself, Aniqe can feel tears beginning to prickle in her eyes--mostly out of frustration at her own failed attempts. “Nothing we’re doing is working. I think you might… need to see for yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Faoric rises from his desk. Aniqe lets out a shaky breath, letting her eyes go back up to the killoren’s face. He stands beside her for a brief moment, then pulls the door open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take me to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aniqe shuffles forward, her head bowed as Faoric stalks behind her, deathly glare still on his face.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Though she wishes he would be, Rahmi isn’t awake when they arrive. She shuts the door behind Faoric, finding it slightly hard to look at either of them. Rahmi’s sleeping form looks so peaceful, and there’s a faint smile on his lips, like he’s half-amused by a joke, but… he doesn’t laugh. He barely moves, even his breathing hardly enough to lift the sheets that cover him. Faoric sighs audibly, pacing up to the knight’s bedside as though this is an inconvenience rather than a dire situation, and speaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Romazi. Wake up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aniqe winces at his harsh tone… Rahmi doesn’t budge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Faoric frowns at that, narrowing his eyes. “Romazi… I understand that you are one for sentiment, but I hardly have the time to sit at your bedside and nurse you back to health. You will awaken, now, and allow me to return to my quarters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aniqe sees Faoric shift and cautiously leans in, confused. “Did you, um… think talking to him like that would help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If no other unconventional methods worked, I believed it worth an attempt.” A pause. “Lameraigne. There are fey tales of monarchs cursed to sleep eternally, whose only saving grace can be a kiss from their ‘true love’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“E-Excuse me…!?” Aniqe can’t bring herself to look at Faoric again, but nor can she look at Rahmi… eventually, her eyes land on the floor. It’s not as though she didn’t suspect that Rahmi had feelings for her, but she hasn’t really examined her own enough to decide how she feels about him herself. She DOES like him, yes, but calling her his ‘true love’ is a bit of a stretch when they’ve not even so much as held hands… On top of that, </span>
  <span>she knows for a fact that she’s not the only person Rahmi is interested in. She clears her throat, still unsure where to look. “But he… has feelings for you, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am aware. But Romazi knows they are unrequited. You are the better choice.” Faoric gestures calmly. “Rest assured, I will look away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Razeiya, it’s not about looking away, it’s… I-I don’t think I </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span>…” But even as she protests, Aniqe finds that she’s creeping closer toward the bed, heart hammering in her chest. If this really </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> the method that wakes Rahmi up, she might slap him back asleep...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She squeezes her eyes shut and firmly pecks his lips, face turning red with embarrasment when they part. But… Rahmi doesn’t open his eyes when she opens hers. She sighs, turning back to Faoric.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It didn’t work.” Her eyes fall to the floor again. “Maybe he just needs time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We do not </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> time, Lameraigne.” Faoric steps forward, moving past her and leaning over Rahmi. She starts a bit at the sight of the killoren, proud and cold, never one to debase himself, bending over to kiss Rahmi himself. It’s such a strange vision that she has to wonder for a moment if she’s finally just going from crazy from stress. It certainly doesn’t look pleasant--but then, she can’t blame Faoric for not putting his heart into the kiss, she didn’t either--and Aniqe watches as he presses against Rahmi a little too hard, a little too quick, their noses bumping on the way down…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She averts her eyes, realizing that she should respect Faoric’s privacy as he did hers, even if the killoren doesn’t necessarily care.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks back when she hears Faoric step away, hoping despite everything that it will have worked…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...but Rahmi is still asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s looked back just in time to see a brief flash of vicious anger spark across Faoric’s face, gone in an instant, and the killoren looks back to her with a stern expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did this happen?” His voice is calm, but Aniqe can sense the tension behind his easy words… She clears her throat and paces over to Rahmi’s bedside, lifting a clipboard with some notes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even Rahmi’s friends weren’t sure. Earlier in the day, they were fighting some cultists… Apparently this was nothing new for them, so it shouldn't have been a problem.” Aniqe reads slowly, her voice a little shaky as she continues scanning the clipboard. “Rahmi reportedly threw himself in front of an unidentifiable burst of magic to protect a friend, and while he was fine immediately after, he went to sleep that night and just… didn’t wake up in the morning. They suspect it may have something to do with negative energy, and I agree, but… we can’t figure out what specifically just yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how many days has it been?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Six. It... took them a while to decide if they should bring him to you or not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Time wasted.” Faoric is clearly annoyed, and Aniqe lets her eyes fall to Rahmi. In contrast, Rahmi looks so peaceful… He hasn’t looked like this in a long time, it feels like. She sets the clipboard down and carefully rests a hand against the side of his bed, not quite touching Rahmi, but close enough to feel his warmth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For the moment, set aside your other duties and focus on awakening him.” Faoric is already heading for the door, and Aniqe blinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? But— But I’m already behind on work as it is…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will make arrangements for someone to continue Parable’s work in your stead. Your other projects can wait.” Faoric opens the door. “I will likely recruit Orvaigne for assistance as a temporary stopgap.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay…” Aniqe sighs as Faoric shuts the door on her, letting her gaze return to Rahmi. She wishes she knew what to do, but at the same time, there’s a part of her that doesn’t want to disturb him. The smile on his face so genuine when he’s like this… She shakes off her regrets and sets off to begin work on this new project, her mind still circling around thoughts of Rahmi’s sleeping face, and the warmth of his lips when she kissed him.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Days pass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aniqe works practically nonstop, though she manages to convince herself to take breaks here and there by telling herself that it’s what Rahmi would want. But even her breaks are spent in the room where Rahmi is sleeping rather than at her desk. She’s headed there now, too, with a small salad and a book in her hands. It feels strange, but… it’s not bad to monitor him, just in case something has changed—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she enters, she sees that Rahmi has moved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nearly drops her things at the sight of it, rushing to his bedside and staring at him in shock. He’s moved his hands to cover his eyes… She reaches out to touch one of them gingerly, moving it to see if his eyes are open, but they aren’t. She sighs quietly and carefully lifts the hand away, trying to reset it at his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Rahmi resists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stares, shocked, as Rahmi pries his hand out of her grasp and covers his eyes again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rahmi…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks around, a little frantic, wondering if she should go tell Faoric… but if Rahmi’s even a little aware, she can’t afford to leave his side. She calls out instead into the hallway, slightly relieved that she left the door open for once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone— C-Can someone call for Razeiya? Tell him there’s a small development with Sir Romazi, he’s not awake, but he moved of his own accord…” It’s hard to raise her voice, but she does get the attention of a passing attendant, who pokes her head into the room in passing. “Yes, you— Did you hear what I said…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She repeats the information as the attendant takes a note and returns her gaze to Rahmi as soon as they’ve scurried off, inspecting him. Nothing has changed, except for… sunlight, coming through the window, shining on Rahmi’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it… the light?” Aniqe looks to the open curtain on the window and reaches for it, pulling it shut. With a very quiet shuffle, Rahmi’s hands drop from his eyes. She blinks, surprised that it was that simple… when she opens the curtains again, Rahmi’s hands go back up. She carefully grabs her notes, writing to try and keep her head straight. She can’t remember immediately whether or not those affected by negative energy avoid sunlight, but it’s not an impossible thought… She makes a note of it as Faoric arrives--unhurried, but with a determined expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He moves,” she says quickly, gesturing to Rahmi’s hands. “Watch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closes the curtains, and Rahmi’s hands return to his sides. Opens them, and they cover his eyes. Faoric’s expression doesn’t change.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He wasn’t moving before this,” she says quickly, closing the curtains again so that Rahmi can lower his hands. “And he still doesn’t respond, but…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Interesting.” Faoric moves to examine the sleeping Rahmi, glancing back at her after a moment. “Does this only occur with natural light?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um-- I haven’t checked yet, hold on.” She pauses, fumbles a bit for her notes, then manages a casting of Light onto Rahmi’s face. His hands twitch, as though hesitating… one drifts up after a moment, covering his eyes again, and Aniqe nods. “Well. He didn’t really seem sure himself…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It shows awareness in some form. Enough to tell us that he isn’t a lost cause.” Faoric turns away, but doesn’t leave the room yet. He pauses for a long moment of thought, and Aniqe doesn’t try to interrupt, contemplating her own ideas and thoughts on the matter. Faoric glances over his shoulder after a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Romazi.” His tone is even and calm. It takes Aniqe by surprise. “I am certain that you can hear me now... Do not forget your promises. You must recover from this. Do not let me down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rahmi’s position doesn’t change. But as Faoric exits the room, Aniqe hears something--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s not sure if it’s related or not, but… Rahmi sighs. Loud enough for her to think it sounds almost exasperated. It gets a half-smile out of her as she imagines Rahmi doing it for her benefit, making one of his inappropriate but funny remarks about it before bounding out of the office with that goofy smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She dims the casting of Light and pockets its source, letting Rahmi lower his hands again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you need anything…” She trails off, fumbling for words. “Well. I guess you can’t talk, but. If there’s anything you need that you can communicate by moving your hands like that… Do it, and I’ll try to understand. It’s, um… it’s my break right now, so I’ll be here next to you for a while longer if you need me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rahmi’s fingers twitch slightly, but his hands don’t move anymore. Aniqe nods, grabbing her salad and book and taking a seat in a chair next to his bed.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Support and Guidance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aniqe makes another discovery. She and Faoric try speaking to Rahmi.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Characters and Terms:<br/>Rahmi Romazi - A cheerful, ever-positive half-nymph knight whose life mission is to put smiles on the faces of others despite the apocalyptic world he lives in. Works for Razeiya Faoric, and is utterly, unshakeably devoted to him. Is also my player character in this D&amp;D campaign. Why in the world did I put him to sleep like this???</p><p>Aniqe Lameraigne - An arcane researcher, and Rahmi's coworker. Faun. Has been under extreme stress lately due to being overworked. Rahmi cares deeply for her, and wants to take care of her. Also has romantic feelings for her, but hasn't ever brought them up or addressed them.</p><p>Razeiya Faoric - A killoren and high-ranking official within the Eyrieni government, and the man Rahmi is employed under as a knight. Cold, self-assured, and secretive. Rahmi has romantic feelings for him despite knowing that killoren don't have the capacity for love. Most people suspect that Faoric is using Rahmi, but Rahmi believes their relationship is closer than that.</p><p>Parable - Another of Rahmi's coworkers, and yet another who Rahmi cared about deeply (position on romantic feelings undecided, but very very very unlikely to be requited even if there are any.) Resigned from work mysteriously and disappeared without warning, leaving Aniqe burdened with all of his work. Rahmi has sworn to find him and bring him back home.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The days keep passing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every so often, Mara Mozena, a friend of Rahmi's, stops by to check on him--they’ve talked here and there about moving him back to where his other friends are, but as long as there are no developments, everyone seems to agree that it’s best to disturb him as little as possible. Let him sleep, keep him comfortable, make sure he’s cared for… and until any of them can make headway on curing him, they’ll leave him with her and Faoric.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To Aniqe’s surprise, Agent Mozena confided in her that she and Rahmi’s other friends still don't fully trust Faoric, but… Rahmi spoke so highly of Aniqe, and frequently at that, so they’ve decided as a group that it’s fine to leave him in Rominique for now. If it weren’t for Aniqe’s presence here, they probably wouldn’t even have brought him to Faoric.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t like to think about how that would have worked out. Faoric would have gotten suspicious sooner rather than later--Rahmi reports in at least every few days--and if he’d gone personally to try and retrieve Rahmi against his friends… Well, relations would have been damaged even further than they already seem to be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As it is, Aniqe is actually taking a break from looking into Rahmi’s situation today, not because she or Faoric actually want her to, but because it’s important to switch tracks every now and then so she doesn’t burn out or get careless. Still, it’s hard to keep her mind on her other work when Rahmi is still asleep, and still unresponsive… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s played with different versions of light, and they’ve tried healing him in as many ways as they can think of, but nothing has changed since that day she found him covering his eyes with his hands. It’s difficult to deal with, and made even worse by the distaste she sees in Faoric’s eyes every time he hears that there are no significant changes in the case. She knows it's not her fault, and she can’t necessarily blame Faoric after everything that’s happened, but it still dings her confidence slightly every time it happens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite herself, she finds that she’s walked to the room where Rahmi is sleeping without even having realized it. She lets out a soft sigh, shaking her head and starting to turn away. She shouldn’t be here. She’s not supposed to be working on his case today. She needs to find something else to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She slips inside the room and shuts the door, staring at Rahmi. He really does look peaceful. It’s hard to look at him, almost. Aniqe finds herself moving to sit at the side of his bed, just watching his face. His peaceful smile, his easy breathing...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he were awake… would Rahmi listen to her woes? Would he comfort her, the way he always does when he finds her stressed or sad?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe that’s why she’s here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...um.” She clears her throat, scooting a bit closer towards his head. “I figured I’d just come and talk to you. I’m not supposed to be working on your case today, but… that doesn’t mean I can’t come see you. R-Right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To be honest… I’m really stressed out. Working nonstop after Parable left was bad enough, but now this is happening, and… It’s hard not to feel like Faoric is judging me for not being able to wake you up. It’s also hard to, um… to not have you around.” She carefully rests a hand over Rahmi’s own. “I didn’t realize that I’d gotten so used to you being there for me. I was just thinking about how it would be nice to have you to talk to… I-I think I may even miss your hugs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiles weakly. Her eyes are stinging a little, and she blinks rapidly, trying not to let this take her down too far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to help you, Rahmi, but I don’t know how. I’m scared that I may </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> know how. I know Faoric is counting on me, and your friends are, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> are, but… but I just don’t know what to do. It feels like everything I try fails, and there haven’t been any more changes. I just…” Aniqe takes a deep breath, her voice shaking. She squeezes her eyes closed, still trying not to cry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Some kind of hint, or clue, or a sign that… that this CAN be reversed. I just need one… one little piece, Rahmi, something that will tell me that you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> still in there, that we can get you back to being </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She can’t stop them. The tears are slipping down her cheeks quickly, and she sniffles. “You seem so peaceful, and… I-I can’t help being scared that wherever your mind is, it’s better than being out here. I would hate to wake you from something like that, because I know that the world is really hard to deal with sometimes, but… but I just… I don’t know what to do. I need help. I need… I need</span>
  <em>
    <span> your </span>
  </em>
  <span>help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aniqe hiccups, then quietly sobs, frustrated that she can’t hold it back anymore. Breaking down isn’t going to help anyone, she needs to pull herself together and--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A pair of hands gently cups her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aniqe’s eyes fly open, and she stares in shock at Rahmi, who is staring back at her with barely-open eyes. His touch is soft, and his hands are shaking slightly, as though the effort of lifting them is too difficult. She lifts her own hands to cover his, support them, too shocked to find words. They stare at each other for a long moment, Rahmi still smiling, Aniqe still holding back tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rahmi…?” She can’t get her voice above a whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His lips move, and she catches his faint whisper that sounds something like ‘tree’...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then Rahmi’s hands fall back to the bed, and his eyes fall shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aniqe can feel her heart hammering, scared for a moment that what she just saw was a hallucination driven by stress--she's defaulting to that worry lately, but everything she's been seeing lately is genuinely insane--and decides she can’t let fear conquer her now. She shouts again--still unused to the feeling--and tries to get anyone’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone get Razeiya!!! He woke up! Sir Romazi woke up for a moment-- He needs to come </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>!!!” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Faoric arrives in record time. Judging by the way his normally immaculate clothes are slightly ruffled, he may have even ran here... A bit unbelievable, but maybe it really is that important to him. Aniqe hurries to explain everything, shows Faoric how Rahmi is now, and relays what happened between them--only finding herself embarrassed after she’s had the chance to stop talking and let the killoren look over Rahmi for himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you said he spoke?” Faoric is staring at Rahmi, practically glaring at this point. Aniqe nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He did, but… it was so quiet, I’m not sure I heard right. It sounded like ‘tree’, but the way his mouth moved, I can’t be certain that was right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aniqe pauses for a long moment, considering what they know… Faoric hasn’t stopped staring at Rahmi, and she clears her throat quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something, um… Something that occurred to me is that… I’ve only noticed Rahmi move or respond when he’s… being treated with kindness?” She averts her eyes, though she can feel that Faoric’s glare is on her now. “So… I think glaring at him might not be productive here. I understand that it’s probably not—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am hardly glaring.” Despite saying that, Faoric does look toward the wall instead. “Merely considering what sort of forces are at play to induce such a strange sickness. One wonders if it is an entirely new brand of magic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been sort of thinking the same thing. Maybe it’s not magic at all…” Aniqe wrings her hands, looking back to Rahmi. “Or, I guess, maybe it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but not a kind of magic we’re expecting. I’m going to look into it… I’ll see if I can find any connections to ‘trees’, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow.” Faoric looks back at her, and Aniqe blinks. “I believe I asked you to refrain from working on Romazi's case today, Lameraigne?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-Yes, but…” She sighs. “I wasn’t working on it. I just happened to come in and see him while I was taking a break… I had a…” She hesitates, trying to find a word that will sound more professional, but nothing comes. “I just had a feeling. One I decided to follow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Interesting.” Faoric’s gaze returns to Rahmi… Aniqe notes that it’s far less harsh now. “Regardless, my order still stands. Pursue other matters for today—I will assign someone to keep watch on Romazi for now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes sir.” Aniqe bows her head and then heads for the door. She pauses for a moment to look back at Rahmi, and finds that Faoric is still examining him… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I know that you’re very busy, but maybe you should talk to him for a moment.” Aniqe watches Faoric, feeling conflicted. “That’s what made him wake up and speak to me. I think he’s <em>probably</em> listening… Maybe he just needs advice. It’s a… a working theory.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that said, she turns and steps out, deciding that perhaps it’s Faoric’s turn to have some privacy with Rahmi.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he’ll learn something she couldn’t.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The silence hangs in the room like a heavy curtain. Neither Faoric nor Rahmi move, the latter still sleeping with a gentle, unbothered smile on his face. The killoren doesn’t seem inclined to get as close as Aniqe did, still and watching the young knight without much expression from a foot away… When he speaks, it’s with cold determination.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>guidance you seek, Romazi, then listen carefully.” Faoric takes a single step closer to Rahmi's bedside, eyes not leaving his face for even a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is not a crime to rest. If this is a deeper issue from which you doubt your recovery, however, I implore you to consider what you would be leaving behind.” The killoren’s voice is measured, and he speaks slowly. “You speak highly of your friends. I can only assume that they would be distressed were you to depart from this world. Lameraigne, too, would likely find it troubling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In addition to this, you have oaths to uphold—The ones you have made to me, and to others. Parable comes to mind… I believe your promise was to ‘bring him home’. I imagine that failure to do so would be a great loss, both for him and yourself.” He pauses, perhaps in thought. “I can only use my assumptions to give you guidance on what I believe is the heart of this matter… but I am more than aware of the fears and troubles that have plagued you of late. If your reluctance to awaken stems from a fear of failure, or of tragedies that the world could visit upon you, then I can only encourage you to cast such doubts aside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is no place for hesitation in victory, Rahmi.” Faoric rises from his chair. Rahmi’s sleeping face has contorted slightly—no longer locked in a peaceful smile, but now edged with something more anxious. “If you cannot trust in yourself, then place your faith in me. I will ensure that you may continue to rely upon me, so long as you still serve.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For the moment… Think on what I have told you. I believe I will have you returned to your allies, at least for a matter of days. If Lameraigne’s theory is correct, their words may reach you faster than mine.” He stares at Rahmi one last time before he departs, watching his expression continue to twitch. “And after that, when you return, we shall discuss a course of action.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaves the knight there, alone in his mind, to reflect on his situation.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Loyalty and Sorrow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Loneliness begins to weigh on Aniqe. Florian Jovault arrives, adding yet another layer to the mystery. Faoric continues to be unreadable.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Characters:<br/>Florian Jovault - Another knight working in the service of the killoren Rajanus Sechariel. Lives with a curse that causes debilitating, life-threatening nightmares in those who sleep. Due to this, Florian stays as far away as he can from other people to avoid harming them unintentionally. Despite this, Rahmi (who does sleep) wants very much to become his friend--and despite Florian's protests, he's succeeding.</p>
<p>Rajanus Sechariel - A killoren, and the highest-ranking official within the Eyrieni government. Florian's superior. Rahmi doesn't know much about her, but in the few times they've met, she's repeatedly cautioned him about Faoric's motives and has offered to help reassign him to another killoren. Rahmi has refused her offers. Over the table, I think she's super pretty.</p>
<p>The Smiling Children - Magical cultists. Don't worry about it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Per Faoric’s order, Rahmi is returned to his friends, at least temporarily. It gives Aniqe a chance to catch up on her other work, if nothing else. She’s also fielded interviews from a couple of potential hires for Parable’s position… Not Rahmi’s, though. Even for all of his displeasure towards the situation, Aniqe gets the sense that Faoric hasn’t given up on Rahmi. None of them have. Even Parable, when he’d still been around, had never doubted Rahmi’s ability to come back to them unharmed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In that way, she supposes, he wasn’t wrong. Rahmi DID come back, and he’s technically not harmed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sighs, trying to return her focus to her paperwork. Whatever else is happening, her work isn’t going to solve itself. She gets about five minutes into it before she’s interrupted again, and Aniqe sets down her pen with a slightly irritated huff as someone knocks at the office door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come in,” she calls. It can’t be Faoric, because he never knocks, and it’s definitely not Rahmi or Parable. She stares at the entryway, blinking when the door opens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pardon the intrusion.” A man clad in all black armor opens the door, a stern expression on his face. Aniqe recognizes him as one of the killoren’s knights, though they’ve never actually met face-to-face. He’s Sir Florian Jovault, Rajanus Sechariel’s knight. Why is he here?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s alright. How can I help you?” She rises from her desk, crossing the room to get a chair for the knight. He shakes his head and holds up his hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No need. I shouldn’t be too long. I’m merely looking for Rahmi… Er, that is, Sir Romazi.” He looks a little embarrassed by the slip, and Aniqe can’t help but laugh a little.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no. He’s got you doing that too, huh?” She pulls up the chair for him anyway, glancing to Rahmi’s empty desk with a sigh. “‘We’re friends, so you can just call me Rahmi.’ Right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He is a strange one.” There’s a little smile on Florian’s face now, but he still doesn’t sit. “Do you have word from him? We have a mission to accomplish, but he’s not reported in for some time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About that… Do you have a moment to talk?” Anime returns to her own desk, then nods to the chair. “You may want to sit down for this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Is he alright?” Florian finally sits, a little clumsily given his heavy armor. Aniqe looks down to her paperwork, heart thumping with discomfort. Why does she have to be the one to do this?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rahmi’s, um… There was an incident. He was trying to protect a friend when he was hit with an unidentifiable blast of magic during a recent skirmish…” She fidgets, sighing. She hates delivering bad news like this. “He was fine up until he went to sleep. Now he won’t wake up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Won’t wake up…?” Sir Jovault’s expression shifts slightly, drifting closer to anxious. “Forgive me, but to clarify: Sir Romazi is locked in sleep, or dead?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Locked in sleep.” Aniqe stares at Florian, blinking as his face pales. “Sir Jovault…?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I warned him this would happen.” Sir Jovault is muttering to himself, sounding equal parts upset and irritated. “I tried to make him understand, but he insisted upon trying to ‘be my friend’. I should have just made him leave...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um. Sir Jovault?” Aniqe tries again. When Florian’s gaze snaps to her, she can’t help shifting in her chair. “We haven’t finished researching his case. There may be information we haven’t discovered that would change things. He’s not a lost cause.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It isn’t that.” Florian rises from his chair. Aniqe can see his hands trembling slightly. “Sir Romazi has spent a great deal of time in proximity to me of late, more than anyone should given my curse. I assume you know of the Candlestone Courtiers?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.” At that, she finally remembers what Florian is, and nearly drops her pen again at the realization. “...Oh. But you don’t really think it’s correlated, do you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t call it unlikely.” Florian stares at the wall, his expression tense. “As you said, the magic used was unidentified. It could have done anything, including aggravating my curse’s effect on Rahmi.” He pauses, and his orange eyes flick to Aniqe. It’s a little hard to look at him--but who isn't it hard to look at these days? No matter who's around, it feels like Aniqe's always under so much pressure...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She really does wish Rahmi were here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see where you’re coming from, but…” She hesitates to talk about Rahmi’s brief moment of awareness to anyone else, but seeing Florian’s expression makes her feel more willing. “When I, um… asked him for a sign, you know, to tell me that he was still in there, he opened his eyes and looked at me. It was only for a second, but… I wouldn’t give up on him just yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...” Florian says nothing in response, and Aniqe feels a little self-conscious. Should she have told him that? “Do we know who did this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Smiling Children. Rahmi’s friends defeated them without issues in the immediate fight.” Aniqe watches Florian, noting the way he’s fighting to keep his expression neutral. “There were no other witnesses.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Damn them.” It’s a bit shocking to hear coming from a knight like Florian. Aniqe decides to put a hold on her work for the moment, sensing that keeping her attention on Sir Jovault would be for the best. “I would ask to visit him, but my presence would no doubt make his condition worse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He's actually not here right now. But, Sir Jovault…” She rises from her chair, wincing when Florian jolts out of his own and backs away from her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My apologies, but I can’t afford to take any more risks at this time.” He holds up his hands, his expression growing more sympathetic. “I… suppose I will report this to my mistress for now. She will likely find me a new partner for the mission if this doesn’t resolve itself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um… Sure. Let me know if there’s paperwork for that, I guess?” She sits back down, watching Florian fidget. “...I’m sure Rahmi would be happy to hear that you were worried about him.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can pass it on for me... May I ask you to keep me updated on the situation?” He’s turned his back to her now. There’s a strange vulnerability in his voice. She had no idea he and Rahmi were so close. “Sir Romazi’s efforts to befriend me weren’t… unwelcome. Whether or not we can continue that friendship after this ordeal, I would be glad to hear of his recovery.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will.” She smiles weakly, tapping her pen on the table. “I’ll notify you by letter and not in person, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.” He’s at the door, but he glances over his shoulder to offer her a weary smile. “That would be much appreciated.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um, one more thing.” She calls after him as he opens the door. “Razeiya may want to speak with you about this, if you really think his condition is related to you. With your help, maybe we can solve things faster.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps. I will be sure to notify him.” Florian nods. “Good day to you, Miss Lameraigne.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door shuts heavily after him, and Aniqe fidgets with her pen again. So many mysteries and dead ends… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What would you think of all this, Parable...?” she can’t help but wonder aloud, looking to his empty desk. All these people worrying about Rahmi… But the aosith never did, seeing him as resilient in the face of everything. He’d never tell Rahmi, or the knight would pester him to no end, but… He’d cared about him. They’d all cared about each other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now it’s just her left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In a brief moment of quiet sadness, Aniqe imagines herself packing her things and resigning, moving somewhere far away from Eyrien… but where would she go? What would she do? This job is practically her life at this point…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sighs, giving Rahmi and Parable’s desks a long look before picking up her pen again at long last.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Someone’s got to wait here for you two to come home,” she mutters, her shoulders sinking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The office stays quiet as Aniqe pushes through her work, hoping that the loneliness that hangs over her is only temporary.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>The news has, admittedly, shaken him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Florian had seen this coming. He’d never doubted that it would happen eventually… At least, he’d thought he hadn’t. Yet somehow the idea of Rahmi Romazi finally being taken by his curse, after all his cheerful insistence that he’d be fine, has caught Florian off guard. Had he really begun to believe that Rahmi would be unaffected? Why didn’t he try harder to push him away?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, because of his carelessness… He’s lost a friend. Possibly forever.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He arrives at Razeiya Faoric’s office far too soon, and wishes that he’d given himself a bit more time to decompress, perhaps by taking a walk or something similar... but then, after what he's done to Rahmi, he doesn’t want to spend a moment more around those who sleep than is required. Once this is done, he can go back to Rajanus’s office, where it’s safe, and think on his regrets alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For now, he knocks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sir Florian Jovault.” He stands tall. “I’m here to discuss Sir Romazi’s condition.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opens the door and finds Razeiya Faoric with his nose in a book, only barely glancing up to acknowledge Florian before his eyes go back to the pages.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see word travels quickly, as usual.” If Florian didn't know better, he'd think Faoric seemed irritated. “Are you here by order of your mistress, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” Florian steps forward, frowning. “I will be reporting this incident to her, but your arcanist advised that I should speak with you. I believe that there could be a potential link between myself and Sir Romazi’s current state.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mm.” Faoric sounds unconvinced. “A matter of your ancestry, yes? Proceed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Correct. Even being only half-Courtier, I have known my presence among the sleeping to bring negative effects. Sir Romazi insisted multiple times upon being my ‘friend’, and has spent a great deal of time around me in the last few weeks.” His eyes find a seat across from Faoric’s desks, and he wonders if it’s usually a place reserved for Rahmi. His eyes dart across the office then, scanning for any signs of Rahmi's presence within it... He stops when he catches Faoric staring at him, eyes narrowed. “It is a possibility that the magic he was attacked with aggravated those effects, and has now locked him in a nightmare.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I shall add it to our list of theories.” Faoric does at least make a note on a paper where Florian can see it. “Is there anything more?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will you be seeking another knight?” He might as well ask. Sechariel will want to know, after all… and despite himself, Florian is curious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That depends on how things unfold, Sir Jovault.” His eyes slowly rise to meet Florian’s. “The delay in work is an inconvenience, but I see no need to investigate other candidates when my current knight is still alive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Forgive my trespass, then.” He offers a small bow. “It is simply information that my own mistress will want to know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am certain there is much information she desires from me.” Razeiya Faoric gives him a thin, polite smile. “Make no mistake. Sir Romazi can be replaced, should things become so dire. I will find another candidate for my knight with ease, as I always have. You may report to her that I am by no means at a loss.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...I shall do so, then.” For all the rumors that float about Rominique of Rahmi Romazi and his relationship to his master, hearing the way Faoric speaks of him makes all of them seem just that: Nothing more than rumors. Rahmi is a tool to Faoric, and if he breaks, the killoren will find another. Though it could be a front, as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If it isn’t… It’s no wonder his mistress thinks so lowly of Rahmi’s own blind devotion to Faoric. Even knowing the killoren perceive and feel the world differently than him and others, Faoric’s own tendencies often seem on another level of indifference entirely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I imagine Sir Romazi would not take the news of replacement well.” Florian finds himself saying it despite himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...You would speak on his behalf, Sir Jovault?” Slowly, Faoric pushes his papers aside to meet Florian’s eyes, giving him his full attention for the first time. He’s not intimidated by the gesture in the least, and shrugs as he speaks again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. Only offering an observation based on what I know of him.” Florian observes the office, full of books and papers and weapons, somehow simultaneously cluttered and organized. “He has professed his loyalty to you multiple times in the presence of my lady. I’m not sure he would know what to do with himself if he woke up to find that his loyalty meant nothing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Romazi is more than competent enough to understand that finding a replacement would not be a question of his loyalty, and capable of finding other work should his employment here be terminated.” The thin smile hasn’t left Faoric’s face, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “You have only known Sir Romazi a matter of weeks. I am very interested to hear what other observations of him have you gathered that you believe I would not already be aware of.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Admittedly, Florian doesn’t have an answer to that. It’s not as though he was trying to claim he knew more than Faoric, but the killoren’s phrasing has put him in a bit of a corner now. Further attempts to comment on Rahmi’s position or loyalty likely won’t get him anywhere, and the killoren is still watching him with that frozen smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know only what Rahmi has told me directly, and what I have learned by speaking to him as a friend.” Florian meets Faoric’s eyes, continuing calmly. “What I know may not be of much significance, but it would still likely differ from your own knowledge. The relationship between ‘friend’ and ‘subordinate’ is different enough that I imagine there are things he has told me that he would not tell you, purely out of professionalism.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That does not answer my question.” Faoric looks back to his papers, either bored or uninterested now that Florian isn't playing his game. “There is little Romazi would keep from me, professional or not. If you have such knowledge of my knight’s hidden depths, then offer it. If not, I will ask that you leave me. I will take your ancestry into consideration during further research of Romazi’s case.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well.” Florian gathers himself… but before he leaves, one last thought comes to mind. “A question of my own then, before I depart. What is Sir Romazi’s favorite food?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honey. The artificial variant, of course, but honey nonetheless.” Faoric’s eyes flick up, inspecting him. "Why?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I shall arrange for some to be delivered to his quarters. He can enjoy it upon waking.” He bows to the killoren, then stands straight. “Thank you for your time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mm.” Faoric goes back to his own work, dismissing Florian with a wave. He marches out and heads for his own quarters, still with Rahmi on his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Florian wonders, still, if this is his fault.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Visitors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Florian has a dream. Aniqe doesn’t sleep at all.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Characters:</p><p>Dame Raksa - An Awakened tiger. She and Rahmi have spoken literally twice, but I like her and wanted to include her.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>That night, as every night, Florian dreams of the ball.</p><p>Tonight, he’s more lucid than usual, enough that he’s hardly even affected by the dancers and revelers who surround him on all sides. Sometimes, if he’s not paying enough attention, he’ll end up joining a dance or two… Tonight, though, he’s on a search for someone.</p><p>He scans the place as he crosses the ballroom, keeping an eye out for a familiar face—specifically Rahmi’s, but he stays aware just in case. He passes his father once or twice, trying to ignore him for the time being, and repeatedly pushes off the more eager of the partygoers, rejecting anyone who stands in his way. It’s tiring, admittedly, to keep so focused like this in the nightmare, but he can stave it off for now. If Rahmi’s here, he may not be lucid, or he may not know how to get out. That could be the core of things.</p><p>But the hours tick by, and Florian finds no sign of the knight. Some of the ghastly partygoers have begun taking parodies of Rahmi’s shape—his hair, his eyes, his body language—to try and get Florian’s attention. It’s distracting, but he thinks he’s searched thoroughly enough to be certain that Rahmi isn’t here. At least, not tonight.</p><p>Exhausted from his search and vigilant protection of himself, Florian finally ducks into a more empty hallway. As with most dreams like this, it’s not quite correct, and distorts and stretches out the longer he looks down it. They’re not escapes, and heading down one will only lead him right back to the center of the ballroom. But something strange stirs in him as he stares down this one, gazing into the darkness blearily. He takes a couple steps toward it, brushing off another dancer to look further.</p><p>Something is at the end of it.</p><p>He takes another step. It’s strangely difficult, and he finds himself hitting slight resistance as he goes forward, like being buffeted by a powerful wind. But he steels himself and creeps again towards the darkness, step by step, trying to reach the shape at the end. The weight that pushes him back is almost too much, and it takes all of his might to take one last step—</p><p>In an instant, his nightmare is gone.</p><p>Florian stands in a black void, surrounded on all sides by a torrent of white, transparent butterflies. There’s a countless amount of them, fluttering and flying around the huge space in directionless patterns, and they go out as far as the eye can see, stretching towards the infinite end of the darkness. He goes on the defensive almost immediately, lacking a weapon but not skill, and turns around to find that the path he took here is gone. Florian scowls, turning back around and staring into the darkness… Though the cloud of them is dense enough to swallow him up, there’s a thin break in the butterflies, just barely, that looks like a path forward.</p><p>With no other option, he slowly marches ahead.</p><p>Time isn’t a concept in dreams, he knows. No matter how lucid he may be, there’s still no way of telling if his march through the darkness takes seconds or hours. It’s a strange space to be in. He’s thankful that the butterflies aren’t violent. They land on his armor here and there, dotting his arms and shoulders with white specks like snowflakes, but quickly fly off again when he takes further steps. It’s entirely silent save for the quiet sound of their tiny, fluttering wings.</p><p>When he finally emerges at the other end of the path of butterflies, Florian finds that they’ve made a sizable dome, leaving a vast empty space that finally gives him room to breathe…</p><p>And there, at the center, is Rahmi Romazi, clinging tightly to a strange, blue, human-shaped mass. His hair is long, so long that it trails down past his back and pools on the floor around him. He’s also barely clothed, wearing nothing more than a loose, tattered shirt and what looks to be a robe around his waist. But for all the changes, it’s still Rahmi. Florian doesn’t doubt that.</p><p>“So you <em> are </em> here.” Florian sighs with relief, taking a step towards him—and a cloud of butterflies blocks his path. He blinks, the cloud so thick that he can’t even see through it, and steps back. The butterflies return up to the walls of the dome, fluttering gently now that he’s moved back.</p><p>“Stay away from me.” Rahmi’s voice is a deep, raspy growl. Florian almost doesn’t recognize it.</p><p>“Rahmi. Do you know who I am?” He does keep his distance, at least for now.</p><p>“I know, and I don’t care.” The vision of Rahmi clings tighter to the blob he’s holding. “Go away.”</p><p>“You’re not in your right mind here. It’s time for you to wake up...” Florian tries to take a step—This time, the butterflies actively shove him back instead of blocking his way. “Rahmi…”</p><p>“Stop.” It sounds like a threat, not just a warning. “I’m telling you to go away.”</p><p>“I’m not going to leave you here.” He tries again to step forward, this time swatting at the air in front of him to try and clear it. Though he swipes at the butterflies, they’re too tiny to really be moved by it, and there’s so many of them that his actions don’t make much of a difference. “Rahmi, you’re having a nightmare. You need to--”</p><p>“GO. AWAY.”</p><p>Rahmi’s scream is vicious and powerful, and the force of it nearly causes Florian to lose hold of his sleeping state. He braces himself as the words echo around the dome, his ears ringing as he stares at the furious vision of Rahmi and tries to decipher what’s happening to him. The knight glares back.</p><p>“You don’t understand me, Florian. No one does.” Rahmi buries his face into the blob’s ‘shoulder’. “This is where I want to be.”</p><p>“You’re not conscious enough to decide that.” Florian tries to take another step forward, this time pushing against the butterflies as best he can when they swarm him. “Rahmi, we’re all waiting for you to wake up. Please listen to me. I can help you, but you need to--”</p><p>“<em> Stop talking! </em>” Rahmi casts out a bloody, scarred hand in his direction. The butterflies suddenly swirl up around Florian in a tornado of white wings, sending him spinning away from Rahmi--</p><p>—And out of the nightmare.</p><p>“...Curses.” He rubs at his eyes and rises from his bed as quickly as he can, trying to run through everything from the dream in his memory so that he doesn’t lose it. He’ll have to tell someone about this… but should it really be Faoric? Florian sighs, his thoughts caught between irritation and disappointment.</p><p>“Foolish,” he mutters as he dons his armor, the image of Rahmi’s bloodied hand still haunting his mind. “Stupid, stubborn man.”</p><hr/><p>Aniqe worked through the night.</p><p>It wasn’t intentional, but she ended up hitting something of a streak in her work, the kind that made her not want to put it down. Thinking she’d only do another hour or two, she allowed herself to zone in on her projects. The thoughts of Rahmi had finally quieted while she worked, allowing her to finally focus for the first time in several weeks… and when she’d finally broken from her trance to consider going to bed, it was already morning.</p><p>Well, ‘broken from her trance’ wasn’t quite accurate. It was more that someone had just knocked at the door.</p><p>“Um, come in…” Aniqe has to stifle a yawn, hoping that whatever conversation is coming won’t take too long. To her surprise, Florian Jovault opens the door.</p><p>“Excuse me.” He closes the door behind him quickly. Aniqe worries for a moment about his curse versus her very tired state, but dismisses it. He probably won’t be here more than a few minutes. “Sir Romazi was in my dream last night.”</p><p>“...huh?” Aniqe finds herself waking up at that, leaning in towards him and grabbing a pen to write with. “How? What happened?”</p><p>Florian launches into his story after pulling up a chair. Aniqe would never believe it if not for the fact that she knows Florian has no reason to lie… His description of Rahmi feels strange and out of character for the knight.</p><p>Maybe he really IS locked in the nightmare. It could actually be affecting his mind…</p><p>She sets down her pen after getting all the details down, looking back to Florian wearily.</p><p>“I guess now is probably a bad time to mention that I stayed up working all night…” She offers him a weak smile, and Florian looks stunned.</p><p>“Pardon me, then. You must be tired… I should excuse myself.” He’s already out of his chair, making a beeline for the door.</p><p>“Hey, um…” Aniqe calls out after him. He seems hesitant to even listen now. “If you see Rahmi again… Just… Keep an eye on him, please?”</p><p>“I shall.” Florian nods, then makes a swift exit. She considers his words in her head, eyes scanning her notes without really reading them. So Rahmi being locked an endless dream is a possibility…</p><p>But then, if that’s true… why did Rahmi wake up? And how?</p><p>There are too many questions to try to answer when she’s this tired. With Florian gone, Aniqe rises from her own desk and blearily crosses the office to her room. She should really get some sleep…</p><p>...Another knock comes at the door.</p><p>“My fault for staying up…” She mutters, debating not answering the call for a moment… She shakes her head and calls out. “Come in.”</p><p>To her great surprise, it’s another knight—Raksa, the awakened tiger, knight of Rahamon Izien. Aniqe blinks as she steps into the room, eyes falling to Rahmi’s desk in seconds.</p><p>“The knight has not returned in several weeks.” Her tone is matter-of-fact, no hesitation. “Is he dead?”</p><p>“Ra… Sir Romazi is, um… Sick, currently.” Aniqe’s not sure if Raksa genuinely doesn’t know, or if she’s being tested. But the way the tiger’s eyes narrow, and how she tail flicks back and forth tells her that maybe her question is genuine. “He’s going to be away for a while while he recovers.”</p><p>“I see. I wished to fight him, but I cannot when he is unwell.” She sounds inconvenienced. “Some thought he was hiding from my challenge. But I have heard many rumors of him and his faults, and cowardice is not one of them.”</p><p>“Faults?” Aniqe paces back to her desk, wondering if this is going to be an extended discussion. “Are you sure they’re rumors and not criticisms…?”</p><p>“I know what I have said, woman.” Raksa bares her fangs for a moment, her pupils slitting. “Criticisms have base. Rumors are only speculation.”</p><p>“I see…” Aniqe clears her throat, feeling a little awkward. It’s not that she doesn’t want to talk, but it does feel weird to have all this brought to <em> her </em> and not Rahmi. If nothing else, maybe she can take notes to pass on to him. “I didn’t mean to imply that you didn’t know, just… A lot of people say a lot of things about Sir Romazi, so…”</p><p>“Men talk. Their words mean little without action. The knight also says many things, but I have heard that his words are not empty.” Raksa sits, her eyes locked on Aniqe. “They say he is strange and difficult to read, but he is not so different from his killoren master.”</p><p>“You think Rahmi’s like Faoric…?” She tries not to show how baffled she is, but it comes out anyway. Raksa lets out a quiet snort of amusement.</p><p>“Your surprise shows you disagree. But the rumors are similar. They are both ruthless, and they stop at nothing to take what they wish to take.” Raksa lifts her paw and waves at the air. “They pretend to be different in front of others. The knight pretends he is friendly and unobtrusive. I am not convinced. He is vicious beneath his mask.”</p><p>“I guess that’s a way of looking at it…” Aniqe frowns at the comparison, thinking of Florian’s own recollection of his nightmare. Is Rahmi really that ruthless? It’s hard to see him as anything but goofy and strange, the way he always is when he shows up to bother her… but maybe that’s Raksa’s point. “I don’t think he’s pretending though. That’s just how Rahmi is.”</p><p>“I did not come here to change your view.” Raksa rises again. Aniqe watches her look across the office, inspecting the desks. “You are here alone now.”</p><p>“Until he and Parable get back, yes.” Despite herself, Aniqe’s eyes go to Parable’s empty desk. Rahmi will definitely bring him back... As long as he wakes up. “Did you want me to leave a note for Sir Romazi…?”</p><p>“No. He will come to me.” Raksa pads back to the door, and Aniqe heaves a sigh internally. Not that the conversation hasn’t been… enlightening, but hopefully now she can finally get some peace and quiet.</p><p>“Okay. Good day to you, Dame Raksa.” Aniqe rises from her own desk, her vision blurring as she looks down at her notes…</p><p>“One thing, woman.” Raksa says it as she’s exiting. Aniqe blearily looks up. “Sleep. Or you will sicken, too.”</p><p>“O-Oh--” Aniqe tries not to blush. “Is it that obvious…?”</p><p>“It is not difficult to sense.” Raksa’s ears twitch back for a moment. She wonders if it’s amusement. “When the knight returns, we will meet again.”</p><p>The door finally shuts. Aniqe stumbles away from her desk, rubbing her eyes. For a moment, she thinks she hears another knock--but upon checking, finds that she’s just hallucinated it out of lack of sleep and stress... The letters on the nameplate of her door are swimming as she stares at them. She slips into her room and finally collapses onto her bed and, head blissfully empty of thoughts, falls asleep in minutes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Butterfly's Wings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There are butterflies in the darkness. The infection may be spreading.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Aniqe dreams of nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s no one and nowhere for a while, her mind a blank void empty of stress or anxiety. It’s a relief after her weeks and weeks of endless tension. In her semi-awareness, she drifts for a while through the empty darkness, feeling and thought absent from her being. When she moves, the motions are graceful and light, like she’s a ballerina dancing through the air. Glancing around, she feels that there are others like her here, more thoughtless presences in this space that dance and drift through the serene nothingness…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alongside them all, Aniqe spreads her wings and flies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s a butterfly, she thinks. Now that she’s cemented the thought, Aniqe can feel her thin, fragile wings fluttering about her body, guiding her forward over air currents. There are other butterflies all around her, and she sways and flutters with them in the darkness, feeling a strange serenity come over her. It’s like being in the sea, her body gently rocked and cradled by waves of air. She and these countless others are drifting together, not united in any purpose, but simply existing in the same space. There are no obligations, no directions… Only them, the darkness, and the beating of their wings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She forgets, just for a moment, about anything but flight. The feeling of weightlessness is not just in her body, but in her spirit. There’s no work, no deadlines… Aniqe glides through the dream with an enthusiasm and glee that it feels like she hasn’t felt in years.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Forward, then up, then back. Right, left, down, left, up. In circles, in spirals. Back up, around, right, diagonal. Twirling, fluttering. Floating. Floating. Floating… She can’t use her voice, but her spirit is shouting with joy. She spins, again and again, whirling through the air and around the other butterflies. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Up, right, down, left. Spinning, whirling, floating. Forward, back, down, up. Twisting, flying, fluttering. Soaring. Around and around...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She feels so beautiful. She feels so </span>
  <em>
    <span>free</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When her wings finally begin to tire, she follows a trail of other butterflies drifting downward. Together, they find a spot in the darkness to stop and alight. A good few of them have gathered here, perched on this small mass in the darkness and slowly beating their wings in repose. She joins them in their stillness, closing her eyes and letting her body rest against the mass in the dark. It’s warm and soft, comforting after such a long flight, and she feels herself growing pleasantly sleepy atop its surface.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mass shifts beneath her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aniqe blinks, looking around… none of the other butterflies are disturbed by the motion, so she remains in her place. Though not linked, she can feel the same thought among all of them--if the others don’t find it a threat, she needn’t either. But now the thing in the darkness shfiting ever so slightly, opening eyes she didn’t know it had to inspect the butterflies… its gaze lands on her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She recognizes its eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Rahmi</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She wants to say it, but she can’t speak. She has no mouth… But maybe that’s not a bad thing. Dimly, somewhere in the back of her mind, she thinks of the distant memory of Florian Jovault telling her about Rahmi’s rage upon seeing a familiar face. She doesn’t want him to be angry, and he doesn’t seem to be as he watches her butterfly self… Whether or not he can recognize her is an enigma, but at least he’ll tolerate her presence this way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shifts herself to try and get a better look. Now that she’s up close, she can see that he is holding something--a vaguely human-shaped blob, colored all blue. It has no distinguishing features, no face, no eyes, no hair, no clothing… Yet Rahmi clings to it with all his strength, his eyes focused on her and no other butterfly. Aniqe herself is resting on his shoulder. She looks up at him, fluttering her wings slowly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...beautiful.” His whisper is hoarse, like he’s lost his voice from shouting. “What a unique one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She crawls toward his face, wings still fluttering. Maybe he doesn’t recognize her, but some part of him still seems to notice that she’s different from the others. He keeps staring at her, his blue eyes looking tired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, butterfly…” His voice is calm, but weak. “May I keep watching you? Your pattern is lovely.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stays put and opens her wings wide, obliging him for now. If only she could ask him about this place, or his current state… but she can’t do much more than flutter her wings and hope that it helps him somehow. His tension does seem to ease a bit as he looks at her, focused gaze turning a little less sharp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You remind me of someone, little butterfly.” Slowly, with great effort, Rahmi lifts one hand from the figure he’s holding to offer a single, trembling finger to her. Aniqe climbs on, the strangeness of the situation still striking her a bit as she looks back at Rahmi. He looks daunted. His gaze is hollow as he stares at her wings. “She was someone I wanted to invite to this dream. To the place beyond it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The place beyond it? Aniqe flutters her wings again, the only response she can give.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Others enrage me. I can hardly think when I see anyone I know here. No matter how they try, I push them away, to get them out… I just can't stand the thought of anyone coming in here. But the thought of her doesn’t scare me as much.” The faintest ghost of a smile crosses Rahmi’s lips. “I tried to ask her… She wanted me to give her a sign, and I managed to touch her. It was so difficult, little butterfly. I tried to tell her. But in the end… She didn’t come. She won’t dream with me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aniqe feels a jolt run through her, the pieces suddenly clicking into place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Rahmi touched her, when he spoke to her that day… He didn’t say “tree” at all. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>“dream”.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s been waiting here for her this whole time. She just didn’t understand him! The signs were all there, how did she miss them?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Rahmi!</span>
  </em>
  <span> She wants to say something, wants to tell him that she understands now, but still the butterfly has no voice. Rahmi looks so sorrowful now, and Aniqe rapidly flutters her wings as he sets her back down on his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All rested up now?” The sorrow in Rahmi’s voice is so powerful that it nearly makes her cry, too… But butterflies can’t do even that. All around her, the others who have landed on Rahmi seem to settle into quiet sorrow as well--their wings still and flat, their bodies barely moving. “I can’t leave this place, little butterfly. But you… You can fly. Take those beautiful wings and find your freedom. I’m… I’m chained here. To this. To him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Him…?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rahmi’s hand returns to holding the person-blob in his arms, gripping it with all of his strength once more. But it’s got no features, no face, no real structure or anything to define it aside from the color blue…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What is this thing--this man--to Rahmi?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go now… Find your freedom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rahmi squeezes the blob—And in a sudden burst of wind, she and the other butterflies are torn off of his body, soaring back into the air. They dance around her, wild and free as before, but Aniqe doesn't want to be with them anymore. She tries to fly back down with all her might, stretching out her hand, a wing, seeing Rahmi grow more and more distant… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Rahmi, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she pleads in her mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rahmi, I understand now! Please… Please hang on. I’ll find a way to reach you…!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sad, dark shadow of Rahmi shows no response. He turns his head away from the sky, back to the thing in his arms. She sees him close his eyes—</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>—and in the same instant, she awakens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The force of it all makes her jolt up in her bed, and she gasps at the sudden vision of bright light. She blinks rapidly, looking around. This isn’t her room. Where is she? Is she still dreaming?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she finally focuses, she notices a stunned attendant sitting beside her bed. It all starts to settle… This is one of the wards, like the one they were keeping Rahmi in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened…?” Her mouth feels dry. The attendant rises, approaching her with a concerned expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you fully conscious? I-I should send for Razeiya at once…” The attendant passes over her question, staring at Aniqe like she’s grown a second head… She quickly pats her neck and shoulder-- Thankfully, nothing new is there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why am I here? Why do you need to call Razeiya?” Aniqe starts to get up, but the attendant quickly holds out a hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“N-No, no, just stay there, I’ll--  I’ll get him, he can explain. Please… Just stay in bed.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a quiet sigh, she decides to let them go. Clearly, whatever is happening, they can’t explain the situation to her. She waits, instead, for Faoric to come… And soon enough, he’s there, shutting the door behind him and standing over her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> awake. Good.” He sounds only slightly less clipped than usual. “You have been asleep for four days.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Four days…!?” She looks back at Faoric, stunned. He shakes his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thankfully, whatever ailed you does not seem to have been permanent. It is concerning, however, that this… illness, if it can be called that, may be spreading.” Faoric turns away. “Romazi’s allies report that he has not yet awoken.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s right-- Rahmi. Aniqe starts to push herself out of the bed, ignoring the look Faoric gives her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Razeiya, I saw Rahmi in my dream. He said he couldn’t leave wherever it is that he was, but that he wanted me to come there to him. He didn’t recognize me, I-- I was a butterfly, but he talked to me. He thought my wing pattern was unique…” The words are rushing out too fast, and the look Faoric has on his face doesn’t do much to reassure her that he even believes her, but she goes on. “That day he touched my face, he DID hear me. He said other people make him angry, but not me. He was saying </span>
  <em>
    <span>dream</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He was trying to… To get me to come to him there. He wants me to dream with him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“By your account, you have already done so.” Faoric’s eyes go to the window. “You covered your eyes from the light, just as he did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm…” Aniqe thinks on that. She didn’t consciously register any light, but… the place in the dream was so dark, invitingly so. “It might be correlated to the place in the dream. When I was there, I didn’t want to be anywhere but. The darkness felt perfect… Blocking out light is an unconscious reaction to keep away any stimulus that would wake us up. Natural light is brighter, and that’s why he hesitated the first time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Interesting.” Faoric steps away. Aniqe stumbles up onto her legs, rubbing at her eyes. “And you say Romazi wished to reach you specifically?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. He said everyone else makes him too angry to think. For some reason, he thinks I’m the only one who wouldn’t…” She hesitates, remembering their conversation weeks ago. It’s strange to think about, but… What if Faoric was right about Rahmi only being awoken by his ‘true love’? It’s too weird to think about that possibility, so she shakes the thought away. “I need to find a way to reach him as me, not as a butterfly…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Much as I hesitate to place you back in a sleeping state after this, it is the only lead we have. Especially as I am unable to sleep or dream myself without magical aid, and adding such forces may only cause further issues.” Faoric moves to the door, opening it. “Pursue this, and I will do what I can to assist. This has gone on long enough.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right…” She follows after the killoren, feeling strangely energized. Maybe it’s just all the sleep she’s had, but knowing that Rahmi is in there for sure, that maybe she can save him after all… Well, it’s giving her hope. And she’ll need plenty of that, both for herself and for Rahmi.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hurries out of the room, already making plans in her head. She knows the problem now. All that’s left is finding a solution… and if there’s one thing Aniqe is good at, it’s finding solutions.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For the first time in my life I'm not using Thana (Rahmi's sister) as a plot device, I'm proud of myself even if no one else is B)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Debts Unpaid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aniqe's desperation brings unprecedented change. Rajanus Sechariel is unusually cooperative.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Absolutely not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aniqe hasn’t even gotten to finish her explanation before Florian Jovault has shot her down. They’re in Rajanus Sechariel’s office, and while both she and Faoric are present, neither of them interrupt the conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, Sir Jovault. I can’t think of another way that I could have control of the form I take in his dream, or any dream.” Aniqe takes a step closer, and Florian immediately draws away. “I’ve been looking at scrolls and spells and everything I can think of… None of it has what we need. You were able to see Rahmi as yourself, in a way that he could recognize you—And that’s what I need in order to help him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, but I must refuse.” Florian’s meeting her eyes, but Aniqe finds no sympathy in his gaze. Really, his attitude has been nothing but caustic since she started speaking. Not that she doesn’t understand why. “Sir Romazi’s plight is a sad circumstance. However, intentionally pressing my curse upon you would not help matters. There is a chance that it could be fatal for both of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you think leaving Rahmi where he is isn’t?” Aniqe looks to Faoric in turn, but the killoren’s expression hasn’t changed. “Even if it’s not fatal to him… You saw that place. You saw Rahmi. He’s suffering in there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He would suffer far more if he were forced into the ball.” Florian shakes his head. Aniqe doesn’t understand how he can look so remorseful while being so unhelpful. “As would you. I’m confident that you can find another way to resolve the issue.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I’m not.” Aniqe frowns, trying to ignore Faoric’s eyes on her now as Florian gives her a concerned look. “Even if I do find another way, it’ll probably be too late. I’m--” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hesitates for a moment, wondering if she should really say how overworked and tired she is in front of Sechariel. In her pause, Florian speaks again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No matter how you ask, I cannot change my answer.” Florian’s eyes find Sechariel, and it seems as though he’s preparing to end the conversation. “I wish you the best in finding a solution for--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you’re just going to abandon him?” Maybe it’s the anger, or the exhaustion, or any number of things, but Aniqe finds that her frustration is coming out. “Rahmi had nothing but good things to say about you, you know! He believes in you! He wanted you to be able to live without suffering, to help you with your curse. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never asked for his help!” The accusation has finally broken Florian’s calm, and he snaps back at her. His speech drifts back towards an even tone after a moment, but there’s still a quiet rage to it. “He pressed me for friendship </span>
  <em>
    <span>against my will </span>
  </em>
  <span>and refused to hear my objections, just as you are now. No matter how good his intentions, Rahmi should have known that I am beyond his help--and he is beyond mine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But he isn’t!” Despite herself, Aniqe can’t bring herself to back down. They’re so close to finding a resolution, to helping Rahmi, and the only thing in their way is Florian’s stubbornness. “He’s very expressly </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> beyond your help! And whether or not you asked for his, Rahmi would never have stopped trying to help you, because he’s-- He’s a persistent idiot, yes, but he’s also a good person! He gives everything to help the people he cares about, and whether you like it or not, you’re one of those people now! And--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lameraigne.” Faoric’s call is calm and unaffected. It’s enough of a reminder to pull herself together, and she huffs quietly as she looks back at Florian, staring him in the eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rahmi needs </span>
  <em>
    <span>your </span>
  </em>
  <span>help. Not anyone else’s.” She manages to get herself standing straight. It’s a wonder that she’s gotten all of this out without breaking down, honestly. “If you honestly don’t want him to suffer, or to die… You’ll help me to help him. Otherwise… He will. He’ll die. No one can just sleep forever without consequences. That should be obvious.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Florian doesn’t answer her, and Aniqe bites the inside of her cheek to keep from crying. If he’s really not going to help… What is she going to do? She can keep researching and seeking answers elsewhere, but what if she doesn’t find them in time?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The burden of Rahmi’s life is on her shoulders now, and it feels like no one will help her carry it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looks to Faoric for direction. He closes his eyes for a moment, then nods to the door. They begin walking…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would be willing to order my knight upon this mission.” Sechariel’s voice is calm and distant. She almost whips around, finding that Florian looks just as shocked as she does.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rajanus…?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“However. You would be indebted, Razeiya, to both my knight, and myself.” Sechariel’s pupil-less green eyes watch Faoric, whose expression hasn’t changed. Aniqe wonders what he must be thinking… She certainly didn’t expect this, at least. “Would you make this exchange for a chance to save your own knight? Whether successful or not, I warn you that the debt would still be owed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aniqe looks to Faoric. His expression remains the same, and he stands as still as a statue. His eyes are on Rajanus Sechariel--She, too, hardly moves as they watch each other. It makes Aniqe feel uncomfortable, as though she’s witnessing something that she shouldn’t be… It’s not like she’s unaware of the tension there’s been between Faoric and Sechariel lately. From what she’s heard, Rahmi’s probably in a lot of trouble for using Faoric’s sword, even if he was authorized to. She’d assumed that Sechariel would save herself the trouble of punishing Rahmi by just letting him sleep. Florian, too, seems to be in shock--likely in part because of the order.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least a minute passes before, finally, Aniqe sees Faoric move. He’s smiling, calm and polite. Aniqe knows that smile all too well. It’s the face Faoric puts on for the public, the one that hides all of his thoughts and makes him seem, at least visually, like a polite scholar. Sechariel’s expression does not change.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aniqe actually has to keep her jaw from dropping at that. Faoric putting himself at an obvious disadvantage in a trade like this is beyond impossible. Not even considering Aniqe’s own feelings… Does </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> really think Rahmi is worth that kind of sacrifice? Is he that valuable to Faoric now?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What exactly has happened behind the closed doors of Faoric’s office, between him and Rahmi…?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lameraigne will lead this project. You will obey her instructions to the letter.” Faoric turns away from Sechariel, walking instead towards Florian. He’s still smiling. Aniqe has absolutely no idea what to say, but she at least tries a little to cover her shock the way Faoric is covering his own expression. “Should you attempt to sabotage these plans in any way before the attempt at rescue is made, this deal will be null and void. Is that acceptable?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...yes.” Florian is quiet, and Aniqe looks to him now. He’s still staring at Sechariel, clearly dumbfounded by what’s happening… The minds of both killoren are out of their grasps, she supposes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good.” Faoric turns to Sechariel once more. “Then let us discuss the matter of payment. Lameraigne, you are dismissed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glances at her out of the corner of his eye… She knows that look. It’s the same look he gave to Rahmi weeks ago, when he spoke to him in his bed...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Do not let me down.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The burdens on her shoulders are growing heavier by the second.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You as well, Sir Jovault.” Sechariel nods to the two of them, the fingers of the gauntlets that hover beside her slowly curling and straightening. “I wish you luck in your attempts to save Sir Romazi, wherever he may be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“T-Thank you.” Aniqe hastily bows, then looks to Florian. “Um, come with me... I can show you what I’ve got so far.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...very well.” Florian begins following after her. Aniqe glances over her shoulder as they exit through the door, just in time to see Faoric begin to glimmer with his own Aspect…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She still can’t believe he’s doing this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shuts the door, looking hesitantly to Florian. “Well… Let’s go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight won’t meet her eyes now, all but silent as he paces along behind her.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>With Florian’s help, however reluctant, she manages to come up with a plan in a matter of days. Florian will still need to help bring her into the nightmare and guide her through it to Rahmi’s darkness within, but she knows what to do once she gets there, and has even prepared a few things to repel any transformations that might strike her. Whether or not they’ll actually work remains to be seen… but even thinking that, she knows failure isn’t really an option. Faoric wouldn’t have taken this risk if he actually thought that Aniqe couldn’t do it. It’s up to her to make sure that it wasn’t for nothing. She’s going to get Rahmi back, no matter what it takes. Even if she has to sleep for weeks… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s not just for Rahmi’s sake anymore. It’s for Faoric’s, and for Parable’s… and for hers, too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...okay.” She sighs quietly as she blinks, feeling exhausted all over again from working so hard on this. Florian is seated beside her, looking about as anxious as he has since the day he was ordered to do this. Honestly, his tension is making <em>her</em> anxious. She wishes he'd relax at least a little bit. “I think we have everything we need. All that’s left is getting to Rahmi in the nightmare.We may be asleep for a while, so if you need to make any preparation before we go...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I must warn you again that this will not be easy.” Florian is staring at her desk rather than her. This is at least the tenth time he's said as much. “These nightmares are not simple dreams. It will drain your very life, and the longer you remain in it, the more difficult you may find it to grasp your sanity. I will protect you as best I can, per my mistress’s orders, but I cannot promise that I can shield your mind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have things to counteract that.” She points to one of the items on their list--one of far too many. “You said the basis of the effect is in fear, right? I have spells and devices I can wear while I sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There is still no guarantee that those would remain in effect during your dream…” Florian sounds exasperated. “And furthermore, how do you intend to rescue him? He may have only listened to you because you </span>
  <em>
    <span>weren’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> yourself. If this fails...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then we’ll try something else.” Aniqe looks to Florian, her exhaustion probably adding to her attitude. “If it fails, we keep trying. Rajanus said that whether we fail or not, we’re still obligated to repay you… She didn’t say that our attempts were limited.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure that it was implied,” Florian groans, and Aniqe sighs as she tries to calm herself down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re almost as stubborn as he is,” she mutters, looking back down to her books. “Look, it’s going to work. I just need you to actually work with me instead of repeatedly insisting that we’re not going to be able to help him. Okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...very well.” Her statement seems to calm Florian down, at least a bit. “I apologize for my demeanor. This has been something of a frustrating scenario for all parties involved… I’m simply trying to remain rational.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Normally I would, too… But it IS Rahmi at the center of all this, which means that we’ve probably got to go down the unconventional path.” A faint smile crosses her face as she glances at Florian. “You know him. He never does what you’d expect him to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very true.” Florian actually smiles back. “He always insisted that I should just ‘have hope’, as though that would be the answer to all of my problems.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You too?” Aniqe finds herself laughing quietly. “Does he also try to give you hugs?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet… But if he’s done so to you, I doubt I can be that far off on his list.” Florian lets out a soft snort. “Whether or not my armor will protect me from his embrace remains to be seen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, please. Armor’s not going to stop him. Even the Deadlands haven’t broken him out of his attitude.” She smiles as she sets aside her notes, leaning her chin on her hand.</span>
</p>
<p><span>“So I’ve seen.” Florian looks back at her. There’s some warmth in his gaze now... He has nice eyes. She didn't notice when he was being so dour, but when he smiles like that, it's easier to take in more of his appearance. </span>“I can see why the two of you get along. You share a similar resilience.”</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” Normally she might bristle at the idea of being like Rahmi. Now, though, resilience doesn’t sound like such a bad thing. “Well… Guess we’ll have to hope that comes through when we go to get him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Indeed.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment, the two of them sit in comfortable silence--Florian's looked away to scan the papers instead, and after a moment, Aniqe takes her eyes off of him as well. She can sort of see why Rahmi's trying to get to know him. There's kindness in Florian, hidden underneath all of that emotional armor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Would you... show me which spells you believe will disrupt the effects of fear?” Florian points to a few lines on the paper, his brow furrowed. "Perhaps it would be best if I understood the way they worked."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure.” Aniqe smiles, taking her pen in hand once more. “I don't know how much you know about magic theory... This one’s a bit advanced, but the basic premise is simple enough.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can feel some of her exhaustion resolving already. She and Florian may not see eye to eye, but… Rahmi’s their friend. Whatever he sees in the two of them, it’s enough to chain them together, at least for now.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Glimmering Darkness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aniqe and Florian enter the nightmare together.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Mild warning for nightmare shadows being creepy and making suggestive comments.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Within a few days, they’re finally ready to try for the rescue.</p>
<p>She’s met with both Faoric and Sechariel to let them know that tonight will be the night. Sechariel wished her luck; Faoric only acknowledged her work before dismissing her. She can’t really blame him, though—How many weeks has it been now? How many attempts have they made? And now he's even traded in a favor with Sechariel, just for the chance to solve things... The longer this goes on, the more dangerous it becomes for everyone involved.</p>
<p>Still, she's got to stay confident. She knows Rahmi's there… It’s just a matter of getting to him.</p>
<p>That night, she and Florian sleep in the same room. Not in the same bed, of course--there are still limits to how far these things should be pushed--but close enough that Florian’s curse will trigger for her. All of the spells have been applied, and she’s wearing everything she should be to carry her through the nightmare. It’s a bit hard to make herself fall asleep when there’s someone else in the room, even for how tired she is, but eventually she does find herself drifting off, falling away into the darkness of sleep…</p>
<p>She finds herself dizzy upon waking.</p>
<p>Or rather, waking inside of the dream. Florian is standing beside her, the light from the chandeliers making his black armor glimmer in an entrancing way. She rubs at her eyes as she looks around, carefully standing up from the floor. Despite being tiled, it was surprisingly comfortable to lay on.</p>
<p>Like Florian warned her, it’s a grand ballroom, full of decoration and light. It's beautiful beyond words, and Aniqe allows herself a moment to soak it all in. There's finely detailed latticework on the windows and ceiling, and white curtains hide small alcoves that she can see silhouettes behind. There are tables upon tables full of rare delicacies--many foods that Aniqe hasn't seen in years due to the Flock's lack of organic life--and wineglasses full to the brim with colorful drinks. Everyone is losing themselves in merriment, laughing, talking, dancing without a care. She can feel the draw of it, even with her protective measures… but when she tries to take a step towards the actual partying, Florian gently grabs her arm and holds her back.</p>
<p>“He isn’t that way.” His instructions are gentle and calm, a far cry from the rest of the vibrant, over dramatic partygoers. It's enough to bring her back to herself, at least a bit. “Come.”</p>
<p>“...right.” It’s still a little hard to think, and she doesn’t feel totally conscious of herself as Florian begins pulling her through the ballroom, blocking the other revelers from trying to pull her in. She can still feel their hands on her when she goes by them, and their voices still carry to her ears, maddening and entrancing—</p>
<p>“<em> Such a pretty faun, so beautiful, I want to touch her—“ </em></p>
<p>
  <em> “A dance, just one! Those beautiful legs, those hooves, I must see them move—“ </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Let me hear her voice, just one word!” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Beautiful—“ </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Lovely—“ </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Wasted on him—“ </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Come to us—“ </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Come—“ </em>
</p>
<p>She squeezes her eyes shut as she follows in Florian’s footsteps, a mix of nausea and enchantment building up in her stomach. They want her. They want to know her…</p>
<p>“Miss Lameraigne.” Florian’s voice, clear and at ease, cuts through the fog in her mind. “They cannot hurt you, nor can they force you. Do you remember why we are here?”</p>
<p>“Um…” She thinks on it for a moment. It takes a second, but the point of all of this does return to her. “Rahmi…”</p>
<p>“Yes. Think of him.” Florian squeezes her hand gently, and they continue on. As she puts Rahmi in her mind, the voices of the partygoers seem to feel less intrusive, and she’s able to follow Florian a little more calmly. “We’re almost there. Just another moment…”</p>
<p>She keeps her eyes to the ground, thinking of Rahmi. Soon, all of this will be over, and everything will go back to normal. She’ll be able to see Rahmi again, like nothing ever happened. He’ll show up to her office and snap her out of her work, calling her name the way he always does...</p>
<p>“<em> Aniqe!” </em></p>
<p>She jolts, looking over her shoulder.</p>
<p>Standing there, in regal blue formalwear, is Rahmi himself. </p>
<p>He’s got a joyful smile on his face, the most beautiful she’s ever seen, and as he approaches her, she finds his voice is insanely comforting, maybe by virtue of not having heard it in a while. It’s such a relief to see him that she nearly trips over herself trying to turn back to him, her heart pounding.</p>
<p><em> “What are you doing here?” </em> He approaches her, brushing his bangs out of his eyes… He hasn’t changed at all, even despite what she saw in her dream before. “ <em> I’m so happy to see you!” </em></p>
<p>“Rahmi…? You’re supposed to… I thought you were in the darkness.” Aniqe tries to step toward him, but something stops her. She tugs against it, frowning. Is her dress caught on something? She turns to try and look at it, but Rahmi reaches out to touch her cheek. Even that simple touch makes a shiver go through her... He's touched her before, but never like this. His hand is so soft, so warm...</p>
<p><em> “What are you talking about? I’ve been here, waiting for you!” </em> Rahmi slowly lowers his hand from her cheek to offer it to her, genuine and sweet. “ <em> I’ve been so lonely… Would you dance with me, Aniqe?” </em></p>
<p>“Dance…? I-I can’t… I’m not really good at dancing…” But despite herself, she’s reaching out to take his hand, entranced. How did she never notice how handsome he is? It’s not that he’s never seemed attractive before--that's basically all she's been dwelling on for the past few weeks--but looking at him now, like this… Rahmi is incredible. His eyes, his hair, his face… Why is he so beautiful? When did he become this way? With sudden, violent force, she remembers kissing his sleeping form and desires that all over again in a way that she didn’t even know she could.</p>
<p>She wants to be with him, out there in the ballroom, dancing to their heart’s content. She wants to touch him, to kiss him, to be in his arms and have him sweep her away, off to somewhere secret and dark for just the two of them… He grins as she rests her hand in his, squeezing tightly—</p>
<p>—until a polearm goes right through his chest, turning him to smoke.</p>
<p>“A-Aaah!!!” Aniqe shrieks as she jerks her hand back from the smoke, staring at where the imitation Rahmi once was with horror. Florian is standing to the side of her with his polearm outstretched, his gaze solidly on Aniqe. Around them, the partygoers are laughing wildly, pointing at her and Florian and making fun of them. She can feel herself growing embarrassed, hurriedly running to grab Florian’s hand again as the partygoers keep mocking them.</p>
<p>
  <em> "Did you see those bedroom eyes she was giving him? Pathetic!" </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> "Ah, to think such a shy beauty would be so shameless... Ahahaha!" </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> "If I'd known it was that easy, I would have just gone and touched her face from the start!" </em>
</p>
<p>“Rahmi isn’t here.” Florian’s voice remains calm, even amid the humiliation. “They will keep trying to trick you for as long as it will amuse them. Try to keep your guard up.”</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry.” She sighs, following after Florian as quickly as she can. “Almost there, right…?”</p>
<p>“Yes. It’s just down that hallway.” Florian continues holding her hand with a solid grasp, and Aniqe does her best to focus on that and that alone. If she keeps thinking too hard about anything, even Rahmi, it will certainly show up to chase her here. She tries, instead, to keep her head as blank as she can.</p>
<p>Though more mirror images of Rahmi try to assault them, Florian and Aniqe now stand firm against them. Florian keeps his polearm at the ready, which thankfully deters them a bit… Aniqe grips her golden necklace to keep her grounded, a more solid reminder of her being than Florian’s hand alone. </p>
<p>Finally, they arrive in the hallway that Florian indicated. He pulls her down it, away from the party, where the fey stalkers can’t find them. There’s more physical resistance going through this than through the ballroom, but Florian is able to help her through it. They step deeper and deeper into the hallway, towards the blackness ahead—</p>
<p>And suddenly they’re there within the darkness, surrounded on all sides by white butterflies. As the fog around her mind begins to fade, Aniqe vividly remembers being one of them. She can recall flying among them perfectly, her mind filling with the feeling of freedom and peace within the cloud for a moment… She wonders how many of them are real people, dreaming peacefully in and around Rahmi’s mind.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” Florian has turned back to her, and she nods slowly, her head much more clear now than it was before.</p>
<p>“Y-Yes, thankfully.” She looks over herself, then looks back to Florian. “Am I me?”</p>
<p>“You appear to be.” He nods, still holding her hand. “Let me know when you are ready.”</p>
<p>“I am… Well, as much as I’ll ever be…” She takes a deep breath, nodding to the knight. “Let’s go.”</p>
<p>They begin to walk through the thin path between the wall of butterflies, searching for Rahmi together. Florian looks ahead steadily, hardly observing their surroundings, while Aniqe holds out her arms, letting the butterflies land softly upon her skin. It’s not much, but if they need to rest like she did, at least she can offer them this. It’s cold here in a way that Aniqe doesn’t remember it being the last time, but she tries not to let that overwhelm her as Florian leads them along.</p>
<p>It’s impossible to say how long it takes. As a butterfly, and even now, there was no concept of time in this place for her. Just peace and darkness, and eventually Rahmi…</p>
<p>Rahmi… She really hopes this will work.</p>
<p>They arrive too soon, and not soon enough.</p>
<p>Standing in a dome of butterflies, she sees Rahmi once more. When she’s not so close to him, she can see what Florian meant about Rahmi seeming different. His head is bowed, buried in the shoulder of the blue thing he’s holding, and his hair has gotten so long that it pools on the floor around him. His clothes are in tatters, his hands are bloody and covered in scars, and Aniqe looks to Florian with worry.</p>
<p>“He may attempt to retaliate,” Florian warns her quietly. She nods, finally releasing his hand to take a step forward… The butterflies begin to close in on her, but they don’t block her view of Rahmi himself.</p>
<p>“Rahmi?” She calls softly. He glances up from the shoulder of the thing. “It’s… It’s me. It’s Aniqe. You… wanted me to come to you. Right?”</p>
<p>“...Aniqe.” Rahmi’s voice is full of sorrow, and it pains her to hear it. “How did you find me…?”</p>
<p>“You called me. I’ve been trying to come to you ever since that dream… I was a butterfly. Do you remember?” She takes another weak step forward. The butterflies come in full force now, practically shoving her backwards into Florian. She blinks, looking over at Rahmi. “...Can I come to you?”</p>
<p>“I… I can’t.” Rahmi sounds lost. “I can’t let anyone in. Not even you.”</p>
<p>“But you asked for me…”</p>
<p>“I said I <em> can’t </em>.” Rahmi starts to grip the thing in his arms, whoever he is, and glares back at her. It’s hard to see him like this, and she reaches out her hand—but the butterflies push back even that simple gesture. “I… I need you to go, Aniqe. You can’t help me. No one can.”</p>
<p>“That’s not what you said before.” Aniqe looks back to Florian, anxiety starting to get to her. “You said that you were waiting for me. I’m here now… Please, Rahmi. Just let me come talk to you.”</p>
<p>“...you can’t.” Rahmi looks furious. Slowly, he holds up his hand—</p>
<p>—and a torrent of butterflies comes down on her.</p>
<p>Florian acts in a flash, so quick Aniqe doesn't see him coming. He’s in front of her, then at her side, dancing through the butterflies and swatting them away with his polearm, keeping them clear of her. They’re fast, but he’s somehow faster, hitting them back with incredible speed.</p>
<p>Rahmi screams, a loud, long wail of anguish, and the butterflies come down harder, more and more of them from all sides. But Florian continues to shield her with his weapon and body, darting around Aniqe with swift, small steps. Not once does his weapon come close to hitting her, even despite the wild swings he’s making to keep the butterflies clear of her body. But they’re starting to land on him now, and she can see them trying to carry him away, his black armor becoming spotted with the tiny white butterflies. </p>
<p>There are far too many for him to fight alone, and Rahmi’s continued screaming is only bringing more and more down on them. She yelps as a sudden stream of them shoots down from above, headed straight for her--</p>
<p>“Ngh!”</p>
<p>She opens her eyes to find Florian imposing himself between them and her, twirling his polearm rapidly, to knock them away all at once. Stunned, she looks back towards Rahmi. He’s still screaming, gripping the thing in his arms tighter.</p>
<p>“I DON’T WANT YOU HERE!” Every word makes more butterflies swarm them. “I DON’T WANT <em>ANYONE</em> HERE!!!”</p>
<p>“Miss Lameraigne, <em> go! </em>” Florian looks over his shoulder to bark the order, still spinning his weapon--she can see exhaustion starting to creep in on him, sweat crawling down his brow. “I will hold the line for as long as I can, but this will not stop until Rahmi is calmed!”</p>
<p>“O-Okay!” Terrified, Aniqe starts running toward Rahmi. It’s hard with legs like hers, especially since she’s never been one for heavy physical exercise. Even for how many Florian is fighting off, the butterflies are still everywhere, and they chase after her as quickly as they can. She ducks and swats at the air as they pelt her skin, shoving her this way and that and nearly knocking her off balance. But Rahmi is so close, <em> right </em> there, still screaming as she keeps rushing toward him. She can't stop now.</p>
<p>“No! No, no, no, no, <em> no!! </em>!” He pulls the thing in his arms closer, fingers practically burying into it now. “Get away from me…! Get away!!!”</p>
<p>“I-I’m… I’m doing this for your own good, Rahmi!” She keeps running even despite the butterflies, scared that if she stops now that she’ll never have another chance, that she’ll never see Rahmi again. </p>
<p>But what is she going to do when she reaches him? Will it even do anything?</p>
<p>She remembers his words from her own dream suddenly—“The place beyond this.”</p>
<p>Just as the thought strikes her, she hears a cry of pain and a clang of metal. She glances back and feels a shiver of fear run through her--The butterflies have knocked Florian’s weapon out of his hand, and now a tower of them are bearing down on him, trying to bury him beneath them and push him into the ground. He’s on his knees, bracing against them with his hands, clearly in pain. She looks back to Rahmi. He's baring his teeth in an open-mouthed snarn like a wild animal, giving Florian a piercing, vicious glare as he casts out a bloody hand.</p>
<p>“You can’t, you can’t, I won’t <em> let you </em>--” Rahmi hisses. Aniqe sees him glaring at Florian, his attention off of the blob in his eyes for just a moment as he focuses instead on trying to crush the other knight...</p>
<p>Aniqe has an idea. Whether or not it’s a good one is something she’ll have to find out.</p>
<p>It’s now or never.</p>
<p>Ignoring Rahmi’s screams of rage, ignoring Florian’s grunts of pain, ignoring the butterflies tearing into her skin, Aniqe reaches forward through the air and falls toward Rahmi, closing the distance between them at last.</p>
<p>"Wait--" She hears Rahmi yell, sudden terror in his voice. "Wait, no-- NO! DON'T--"</p>
<p>From the ground, she rests her palm against the blue blob in his hands.</p>
<p>The world goes silent.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Rahmi Romazi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the farthest depths of Rahmi's mind, Aniqe finally finds the answers she's been looking for.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Aniqe falls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a rapid descent downward, falling further and further into the depths of the blue thing that Rahmi’s been holding. She feels like a butterfly again, soaring down now with no direction, light and free. But there are no wings to lift her up this time, and as she falls farther, she can see something waiting at the end of her descent…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A wood floor?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She squeezes her eyes shut and tries to turn her body around, still worried that no matter how she faces, she may not take the landing well…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But when her hooves touch the ground, it’s not bad. Mostly, it feels like she just leapt down from a single stair. There’s no vertigo or nausea after the long fall, thankfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now she’s in a house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not one she knows, but a house all the same. It’s quaint, a one story building with a living room and kitchen, and four closed doors that she can assume are bedrooms and a bathroom. The interior is mostly decorated in shades of white and blue—white walls, blue rugs, and some decently made paintings of floral landscapes… Whoever lives here must have been around before the cataclysms started to be able to paint a landscape like that. There’s a piano at the far end of the living room that looks well kept, and the kitchen seems to be fully stocked. It’s a nice place… Just as she begins to wonder why she’s here, she hears a soft gasp to her left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s Rahmi.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just him, too. No tattered clothes or too-long hair, nor dark circles under his eyes. It’s Rahmi Romazi, looking as comfortable and happy as she’s ever seen him. He looks healthy, his skin practically glowing, and his clothing is neat and tidy, freshly ironed and newly cleaned. It’s the same regal blue outfit that she saw on the mirage of him in the ball, the one he’s been wearing more often. But the him here is genuine—not too beautiful or entrancing; Just Rahmi, as she’s always known him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aniqe…” His voice is soft, warm. “Hey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi.” She takes a small step forward. “Is it really you…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so. Don’t know who else I’d be.” He beams—Yes, it’s got to be him. Even the near-perfect shadow in the ballroom couldn’t quite match that goofy grin of his. His expression drifts back towards a calm, neutral smile, and he gestures to the small round table in the living room. “Wanna sit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess so.” She nervously shuffles over, her eyes still on Rahmi as she takes a seat in a pretty white chair. “Do you know what’s going on? Where we are?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know a bit. This is my mama’s house.” He gestures around, looking himself to the piano. “I helped her to buy it once I got the job with Faoric. A lot of my paycheck used to go toward the rent for it, but now she’s started working a bit again, so we split it--it’s nearly paid off now, too. Papa’s still a deadbeat, so we learned to hide the money and pay quietly… We’re really lucky to be where we are now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow… I had no idea.” Aniqe looks around, finding a new appreciation for the house in knowing that it’s brought Rahmi’s family comfort and safety.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, but you didn’t come here to hear me blab about my life!” Rahmi sits across from her, looking peaceful. “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mind. You don’t usually talk about your past.” She can’t help but smile a little too, a sense of peace drifting over her. “It’s a lovely home. Did you decorate it yourselves?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! We painted the walls and retiled the roof for the color scheme. Mama’s favorite color is white, so we used a lot of it.” He looks to the paintings with a smile. “She made those flower paintings, too. She still doesn’t talk, but she’s been having more good days where she expresses herself through music and art. It’s a big relief.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She doesn’t talk?” Aniqe looks to the beautiful painting, taking it in once again. It really is lovely to look at, skillfully painted…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. She went mute after Thana left... When papa kept throwing his life away and ignoring her pleas for help.” Rahmi closes his eyes. “It used to be that she wouldn’t even look at me. Not because of anything I did, but because it was hard for her to have a reminder of our family and how they’d basically ruined her life… That’s part of why I got the house. To give her a new safe space with less bad memories. She’s doing much better now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s really kind of you, Rahmi.” It’s a bit of a surprise to Aniqe—She knows Rahmi’s mother is fey, so she’d somehow thought that she’d be resilient, that things like that wouldn’t bother her… But then, she guesses that Rahmi’s family situation would bother anyone, no matter how strong or strange. “I’m glad she’s recovering.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too.” He opens his eyes, looking back at Aniqe with a warm smile. “This job has done so much for me… That’s part of why I’m so faithful to Razeiya. He gave me a chance. Gave my family a new shot at life… Though I guess that’s partially also because of what my sister did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His expression falls a bit when he says that, and he quickly shakes his head. “I-It’s alright though. Things will… Things will get better soon. I can feel it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rahmi…” She reaches across the table to offer her hand in support, and he takes it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry. Thanks for listening.” He offers her another smile, though it’s a bit smaller this time. “Can I get you anything to eat?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not hungry, but thanks.” Now it’s her turn to pause awkwardly, wondering how to broach this subject. “Um… So, this is your mother’s house, but that’s not quite what I meant when I asked if you knew where we were. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Do </span>
  </em>
  <span>you know where you are right now, Rahmi?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I figured you’d ask eventually.” He gives her a weary smile. “A dream, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” She looks back at him, a little nervous. “Can you wake up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>think</span>
  </em>
  <span> I can. But…” He lets out a quiet, soft laugh. “I don’t know if I want to. I realized this was a dream a while ago, to be honest, but… I felt so safe here that I wanted to hold onto it longer. And then I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s interrupted by someone’s gentle humming, and when Aniqe turns, she sees a beautiful nymph woman in the kitchen. The woman looks over her shoulder, and Aniqe finds herself totally captivated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes are the same cool blue as Rahmi’s, but they have an entrancing depth to them—like a river rushing by, the current pulling her in. Her skin and hair are a tone that speak of tall trees and dark earth, and veins like tree roots crawl up her hands, neck, and legs, like she herself embodies the will of a long-gone forest. Her movements are lithe and graceful, as though escorted by the wind however she moves… She’s beautiful, a living embodiment of the type of nature that hasn’t been seen since the Flock came, a being who holds the countless mysteries hidden deep within the darkest woods. This must be Rahmi’s mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, mama.” Rahmi waves, and the woman looks back to them with a smile. “This is Aniqe. She’s my coworker. Aniqe, this is my mama, Selle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman, Selle, makes her way towards them, motions unhurried and elegant. She nods to Aniqe, only letting out a very soft, but beautiful, hum. Aniqe nods in kind, some part of her wishing that she could hear more of Selle’s voice… That’s fey charm for you, she supposes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you working in the kitchen, mama?” Rahmi beams at his mother, standing up to help her walk. She nods, pointing to a few of the pots and pans, and Rahmi smiles gently. “I gotcha. Let me help you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aniqe waits patiently at the table as Rahmi helps guide his mother back to the kitchen. It seems like Selle must be a little frail, needing Rahmi to help her lift the pots and utensils, her hands shaking when she does it herself. She guesses that it must be the years the nymph spent doing nothing in her depression, having worn her muscles down with the lack of activity… As he assists, Rahmi hums alongside his mother, the two of them engaged in a quiet mother-son duet. That seems to be lifting Selle’s mood even further. She looks up at Rahmi with a beautiful, happy smile, and Rahmi beams back, gently placing the utensils into her hands. Seeing them like that, she can see where Rahmi inherited his smile from.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s both surprising and unsurprising to her to see Rahmi being so responsible and caring towards his mother. He’s a good son, and she had absolutely no idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She finds herself wondering, for just a moment, if his sister acted the same way towards him. Rahmi never really talks about her in detail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The knight returns to her after setting Selle up with what she needs, plopping back down at the table with a smile. “Hey. What were we talking about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This dream.” Aniqe tries to stay gentle, not wanting to scare or startle Rahmi. He doesn’t seem too affected, though--nothing like the vengeful shadow of him outside. “Why you haven’t woken up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hah… Isn’t it kind of obvious?” Rahmi looks toward his mother, peaceful sorrow in his eyes. “This place… It’s really nice. Nothing here hurts. When I realized that it was a dream, I made myself hold onto it, thinking I’d just do it for a little bit longer… and by the time I started thinking that I should wake up, I sort of… couldn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was my own fault.” He gestures upward, looking towards the ceiling. “That magic I got hit with in that fight… I don’t think this was the intended effect, but after I fell asleep, it caused a weird reaction in me. I figured out that there was a part of me—A really, really big part—that didn’t WANT to let go of the dream. It’s safe here, and everyone is okay, and nobody’s hurt or in danger because of me. In a weird way, it made me… angry. Just, absolutely furious that I couldn’t have this in real life. That anger, that rage, separated from me and took its own form, locking me in here. That’s what held me back from waking up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It all clicks into place. She’d have to know more about it to make a proper call, but the spell Rahmi got hit with was probably meant to induce some form of uncontrollable rage in him--but somehow Rahmi resisted it, at least consciously. Subconsciously, though… The spell still took hold, creating a violent, rathful version of Rahmi inside of his own mind that ultimately locked him inside of himself. It probably only grew so powerful because that anger was already inside of Rahmi...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His internal fury wasn’t just holding a faceless blob: It’s been holding </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Rahmi’s sleeping consciousness and his perfect dream. Protecting his will to stay here, safe and peaceful, even if it meant harming the people around him. Chained to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It never hurt her, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you wanted me here. Was that real?” Aniqe looks back to Selle as well, watching the nymph work. She seems to be </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. That same angry part of me that hated that I can’t have this sort of thing in my real life… It wanted this peace for you, too, after everything you’ve been going through.” He meets her eyes, growing serious. “In here… You can think of what you want, no matter how big or small, and it comes to you. And I… Um...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I know where this is going.” Aniqe tries to stay gentle, but she can’t hide the remorse in her tone. Rahmi nods slowly, his eyes falling shut. She can almost see a bit of his heart breaking in his expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Thana’s in her room. Taking a nap.” Rahmi smiles weakly, and Aniqe sees a few tears slipping down his cheeks. “Yesterday we went shopping. I got her a new dress and some nice shoes… I got to take care of her for once, the way she’s always taken care of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That sounds like it must’ve been nice for you.” She pauses, trying to find a way to word things without being harsh. “But… Rahmi, even if this dream </span>
  <em>
    <span>can </span>
  </em>
  <span>give you everything you want, eventually you’d still have to wake up. Then the loss of all that would hurt even more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unless I don’t wake up at all.” Rahmi sighs, wiping at his eyes. “But now you’re here. And it’s not that I didn’t want you to be here, because I did, but… I wanted you here so that I could take care of you, too. I wanted to lift some of your workload, give you a place to relax, let you have a break… I know it’s selfish, but I thought it would be nice to spend some time with you in a place that wasn’t stressful for once.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I know. And I appreciate that.” Aniqe reaches over to take his hand again. “I know you just wanted to help. But Rahmi… It’s been weeks now. And you being asleep like this has worried a lot of people. Me, Faoric, Florian, your friends… There are people waiting for you, people who want to rely on you, but can’t when you’re not there in real life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I’ve heard some of you. It was mostly when you said nice things to me... that would filter down to me here. Even some of what Faoric said got to me.” He laughs, but it’s broken and empty. “I get what you’re saying, but… Being outside is so different than being in here. Here, I know I can take care of you. But I can’t make that same promise out there… I could easily disappoint everyone, whether by failing in my own right, dying, or worse. Being relied on isn’t the same as taking care of you all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But us relying on you is just as important as you taking care of us, isn’t it?” She pauses, looking towards Selle. She’s stopped moving, staring down at her cooking with an empty, sad expression. Rahmi’s mood must affect everything in this dream, not just himself. “Not everything has a condition of failure or death. Sometimes all it takes to be relied upon is just… being there. The way you are for your mother. What would she do if you never woke up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...it’s not that I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Rahmi sighs quietly, his gaze turning mournful. “I’m just… I’m tired, even though I’ve been dreaming for so long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like I said, I’m being selfish.” Rahmi shakes his head slowly, glancing back towards his mother and then looking back down to the table. “I want to be happy again, and I never am lately. I don’t want to be in pain anymore, but I’m always in so much. I’ve known this was a dream, but it feels so good to be here. I just… I wanted to feel okay again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get that. I know it’s not easy.” She lets go of his hand carefully, looking down at her lap. “You could stay, if it’s what you really wanted. I’d probably have to tell Faoric, but... I wouldn’t judge you. I feel like he wouldn’t, either… I mean, he’d still be mad, but I don’t think he’d really be able to hold it against you. It’s not like he doesn’t know what you’ve been through, and what you’re still going through.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think…?” Rahmi looks a little startled. “And… You’d actually let me stay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, ideally no, but if I really can’t convince you to come back… I’d let you, yes.” Aniqe nods slowly. “The world hasn’t been kind to most of us, obviously, but that doesn’t make your pain any less legitimate. A lot of people who aren’t as strong as you probably would have already given up on making things better by now. You’ve made it a long time without falling apart, Rahmi--at least, falling apart where anyone can see it. It’s not like you don’t deserve a chance to rest and have things go your way for once... We just don’t have that luxury.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...see, I knew you’d get it.” Rahmi smiles, brushing his hair back. “You’ve always understood how I feel pretty well. Maybe that’s why I wanted you here, too… I don’t think anyone else could have convinced me to come back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not even your friends?” Aniqe tilts her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, maybe them, but… I guess I just really wanted you.” When he says it like that, with that innocent smile on his face, it makes her start blushing all over again. “They could have gotten me out of it, but I’ve resisted them so far. I didn’t feel like going when I wasn’t sure they’d be able to understand why I stayed. I didn’t… I didn’t want to seem like a coward to them. They need my strength to rely on, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“From what you’ve told me of them, they don’t seem like the sort of people to call you a coward for wanting a piece of happiness. And just because they need your strength doesn’t mean you can’t still lean on them sometimes… They’d support you, just like I am now. Probably better.” She offers a sheepish smile. “I don’t feel like I’m all that helpful at this. I’m mostly just saying facts, which is all I’m usually good for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not true. You’re a dear friend with a lot of intelligence, but I rely on you for a lot more than just facts.” He slowly rises from his chair, walking over to her and offering his hand once more. “Like… Like this dream. I’m gonna rely on you to get me up, and get me out from this place. I can’t do it from the inside, not by myself… So I’ll need you to be my anchor from the outside. Someone I can hold onto to pull me up and out of here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rahmi…” She takes his hand, pulling herself up to stand beside him. “I can try. I still don’t really know if I’m the right person for this, but… if it’s what you really want, then I’ll try to help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the right person, don’t worry. Just find where I’m sleeping… Call me, anchor me, and I’ll come back to you.” He smiles, squeezing her hand. She starts to float, and realizes that Rahmi is sending her off, letting her back out of his mind and into the waking world. “I’ll see you soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” She nods, feeling a set of wings spreading from her back. Butterfly wings again, just like before. “I’ll come and get you soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” He lets go of her hand, still smiling as she slowly rises more. “And Aniqe…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” She can’t hold on for much longer, steadily rising higher into the air away from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for not giving up on me.” He waves up to her, calling out as she rises. “Tell Florian I said hi!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I… You can tell him yourself!” She calls back. She hears him laughing for the first time since they started talking, a real laugh full of life and joy. He calls something else, but she’s too far to understand it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like the sun, she rises slowly, up towards the sky, bringing light with her… and soars, with her wings outstretched, into the waking world.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Awakening</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's time for Rahmi to wake up.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She’s holding hands with a still-sleeping Florian Jovault when she blinks herself awake. She’s too tired to be properly flustered about it, but she manages to make a drowsy attempt at pulling her hand away… His grip is too tight though, and Aniqe sighs as she rolls over and away, thinking back to the dream. Hopefully all of that was real, and Rahmi really is waiting for her to come get him. She tries to rouse Florian, and after a bit of gentle shaking, he awakens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ngh…” He releases Aniqe’s hand to rub his eyes, seemingly unaware that he was even doing so. “I… I became a butterfly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did that before, too.” She smiles faintly. “Was it nice?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Somewhat. I felt free and forgot my troubles for a while. It did not last very long, but it was a kindness after such intense combat.” Florian blinks slowly. “It is strange to have any dream but the nightmare.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can only imagine…” Aniqe looks down at her hand now that it’s free… Her fingers are a bit stiff, and she can see some small grooves left in her skin from Florian’s gloves. How long did they sleep like that, she wonders? She momentarily considers how Rahmi would feel about it—having a hunch that he’s got feelings for Florian as much as he does her, because he’s not at all good at hiding that sort of thing—and then shrugs internally. Whether or not feelings start to creep into any of them, none of them are in a position to consider a relationship. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rahmi especially… After what he said in the dream, it’s clear that he needs more time to process his emotions, whatever they may be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Florian is looking at her blearily, and she meets his eyes. “...Did you say something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I asked if you were able to reach him.” He sits up, looking her over. “And if you are unharmed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am.” She nods. “A bit tired, but fine otherwise. And yes… I found him. He said he’ll come back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was a choice?” Florian looks intrigued. “Not the product of a spell?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Both. The spell did it first, but Rahmi chose to stay even after it stopped holding so tightly. He…” She hesitates to talk on Rahmi’s behalf for such a sensitive subject… She decides to go with a half-truth. “He was just confused. He needed someone to guide him, and I guess it had to be me for some reason.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see…” Florian slowly rises. “Not a byproduct of my own curse, then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sure… It seems to me like there were several factors. I can send you and Rajanus a full report later.” She stands as well, looking back to Florian with what she hopes is confidence. “But no matter what it was, I have a way to get him back now. So… I wouldn’t say your curse was as bad as you thought it might be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hesitate to share that sentiment, but I’m glad if it helped to resolve the issue.” Florian nods, opening the door. “You shall send for him to be returned to this office, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. I’ll make a few preparations and then call for him. He’ll probably want to see you when he wakes up, too.” She pauses at his look of hesitation and chuckles. “You know that whether or not you come, he’ll find a way to see you when he’s walking again, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do.” Florian very nearly rolls his eyes, only catching himself the moment before. Aniqe smiles, amused. “I will make time to visit him, worry not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. He’ll probably want to thank you.” She looks away, stepping out the door. “Without you, we couldn’t have reached him. So… Thank you so much, Sir Jovault.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At the risk of sounding too much like him… Just Florian is fine.” He offers Aniqe a hesitant smile, and she returns it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess you can just call me Aniqe then.” She steps back, nodding to Florian. “I’ll send a letter when he’s back and awake. You can come on your own time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Much obliged. I shall.” Florian quickly returns to his professional, knightly cadence… though Aniqe does catch him glancing down to his hand, the one that held hers in sleep, with a curious expression as she turns away. She smiles again, shaking her head as she starts walking towards her office to make her last preparations.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>It takes a few more days to get Rahmi home. She hasn’t told Faoric how things went yet, knowing that he’ll show up on his own time to ask. She’s decently certain that none of them were extremely confident in this plan working on the first go, but somehow it did…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can’t help shaking her head to herself, an exasperated smile flitting across her lips. All Rahmi really needed was some support.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miss Lameraigne?” An attendant has appeared at the door. She sets down her pen, rising up from her seat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Has he arrived?” She walks over, and they nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. He’s this way, in the same ward as before…” The attendant starts to lead, but she shakes her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can make it there on my own, but thank you.” She gives them a polite nod and begins walking towards the medical wards, thinking back to her conversation with Rahmi in the dream.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An anchor… Something to pull him back up into the world.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, she can try.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She finds Rahmi still sleeping, peacefully waiting for her in his dream of his family together. The smile on his face is still faint, but she knows why it’s there now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a sigh, Aniqe shuts the door behind her and takes a seat beside his bed, taking his hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s me,” she says softly. “I’m here to wake you up, like you wanted.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he doesn’t move, she wonders if she needs to say more. It was kind words that would do it, right? So she goes on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The dream was really nice. I appreciate you letting me into it… I’d be happy to meet your mother in real life, as well. She seemed very nice.” She holds onto his hand, warm and comforting as ever. “It’d be good if you could wake up soon… N-Not to rush you, I’m just… It’d be nice to finally see you awake after all this. So… Here I am. Here to, um… anchor you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She waits… He still isn’t reacting. Aniqe looks at Rahmi’s sleeping form with confusion. Did she maybe just dream all of that up…? But no, there’s no way… Florian was there. They went through it together. So then, what’s the problem…?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She thinks, yet again, of Faoric’s original suggestion, and feels her face heating up. No way, absolutely not, she won’t do that again, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>won’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aniqe pulls herself closer, eyes locked on Rahmi’s lips. She’s… just trying to be an anchor, like he wants. So maybe he needs… more contact. Something sensory.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s a hypothesis. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can test a hypothesis.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aniqe steels herself, feeling fire in her cheeks and hands as she leans down, slowly but steadily, and kisses Rahmi again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time it’s lingering rather than just a peck, a soft, slow press against his lips to try and offer him a sensation, something to hold onto as he, too, rises from his dream and up toward the light.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gently, softly, with a touch as light as a butterfly’s wings, Aniqe pulls back from the kiss and touches Rahmi’s cheek with her free hand. “It’s time to wake up, Rahmi.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, Rahmi’s eyes flutter open.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aniqe’s heart begins to race even faster as the knight looks up at her, gently covering her hand with his own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.” His voice is soft, a little weak from disuse. She smiles weakly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi.” She gives his hand a gently squeeze. “Had a good nap?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was alright.” There’s a playful smile on his face… With slow movements, Rahmi reaches up and pulls her down against him for a moment in a gentle, warm hug. “Thank you, Aniqe…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Razeiya’s the one who pushed to keep trying, I just did the research…” she mumbles sheepishly. “But… You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too.” Rahmi releases her, and she stands up straight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you, um…” She hates to ask, but she might as well. It’s not like she can be any more embarrassed than she already is. “Did you… feel how I woke you up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.” He pauses, hesitating, and she can feel herself starting to blush again. “I… don’t want to make things awkward, so I’ll just say… Thank you. And… Maybe we can talk about it later, if you’d like? But no pressure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...I’ll think about it. Give me some time.” She wasn’t expecting him to handle that so gracefully. It puts a smile on her face, and she can’t help laughing to herself as she continues. “I’m not the only one who… well, who tried that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh?” Rahmi looks a little dumbfounded. “What do you mean? Not… Florian?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“N-No.” She hesitates to finish the thought, but Rahmi’s eyes are already widening, and she’s sure he’s figured it out. She might as well just confirm it. “Razeiya--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Faoric!?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Within seconds, Rahmi’s cheeks have turned an alarming shade of pink, and his eyes fall to his lap as he stammers, failing for a moment to make words. “F-Faoric kissed… Why? Why??? I didn’t even feel it! Why would he-- I-I can’t believe this, I can’t--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There goes all that gracefulness. Though it shouldn’t be as funny as it is, seeing Rahmi so embarrassed, especially when he’s usually the one getting </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> flustered, is enough to make her break down into giggles. The look of desperation that Rahmi shoots her after only has her laughing harder, and she can do nothing but keep laughing as he buries his face into his pillow and whines loudly. When she does finally manage to settle down after a minute, Rahmi still looks like he’s burning up. He managed to stop stammering, at least.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...this is ridiculous,” he finally says, his voice quiet and weak. “N-No offense, Aniqe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen him do it… I was the only one who did,” she adds, seeing Rahmi’s expression drift back towards shock. “He had me try it first. It was on the basis of those old fairy tales, where a kiss brings a sleeping ruler back to life.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He believes in those?” Rahmi pauses, then finally snorts--looking a little relieved. “What am I saying, we’re fey, of course he does. But I’m no prince… Either way, I’m glad it was for a practical purpose and not, um… You know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not too late. If he does decide to come sweeping in here to declare his love for you, at least make sure to tell me I’m out of the running.” She can’t help herself, feeling unusually lighthearted now that Rahmi’s awake for real. He looks at her with desperation like she’s never seen on his face before… So this is his weak point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aniqe-- Please, I’m going to pass out again if you make jokes like that,” he wheezes. He’s actually fanning himself with his hand, and she has to bite back another snort. Yes, Rahmi is definitely not ready to talk about his feelings, at least not on this. She at least holds that quip back to spare him further embarrassment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry… You’re rubbing off on me.” She offers him a good-natured smile, and he does at least return it. “In all seriousness, do you want me to go get Razeiya? I can also give you a few more minutes, if you need it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess?” Rahmi sighs, a still-weary smile on his face as he sighs warmly. “Might as well. I doubt I’m gonna sleep again for a while anyway, after all that… I don’t know if I can look him in the eyes now, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure he won’t bring it up if you don’t.” She smiles, giving him a gentle pat on the arm. “He’ll probably have me come back and see you once you’re done, so… I’ll see you again in a bit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“See you.” He smiles, waving a hand. “I’ll thank you a lot more once I’m all done with him. I’ll shower you with gifts! I’ll take you to see the most beautiful sights! Whatever you want, it’s yours!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I’m not the only one you need to thank!” Aniqe shakes her head. “Honestly… You never change.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guess not.” He laughs, but settles back into a more comfortable smile after a moment. ”But, um… I heard what you said. And I’d like it a lot if you came to meet my mama. I think she’d like you a lot too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll have to make some time for it, then.” She smiles as she heads for the door. “Once you’re feeling better… and once my workload is a little less horrible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds good to me.” Rahmi smiles, then lays back and closes his eyes again--not asleep this time, just resting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She steps out the door and begins toward Faoric’s office, feeling strangely light on her feet… like a butterfly, even without the wings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well. Maybe it won’t be exactly like Rahmi’s dream, but they can certainly still spend some pleasant time together.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry, I can't help myself when it comes to shipping &gt;o&gt; Next chapter will be the finale! This was lots of fun.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Renewal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Things return to normal, and dreams are only dreams.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Razeiya Faoric ends up taking his time before coming to visit.</p><p>Rahmi waits fairly patiently for the killoren, not leaving his ward for the time being. He’s sure that he could, if he asked, but there’s no sense in trying to run about everywhere when he’s only just woken up from a long sleep. Even despite the long dream, his chances to rest are few and far between these days… And he knows, after this, that it will be even longer until he has another good one.</p><p>He really should go see his mother. She’s probably feeling lonely lately, especially since he hasn’t been around in a while... Of course he’d never abandon her, though. He wouldn’t have stayed in the dream forever. It was just a nice respite, one he’d been needing.</p><p>Faoric shows up in due time, though his steps are unhurried, and he looks as serious as ever as he sees Rahmi awake for the first time in weeks. Rahmi offers a nod, unable to realistically bow from his seated position in bed, and Faoric shuts the door behind him with a solid thud.</p><p>“Is there anything you would like to tell me, Romazi?”</p><p>Maybe he’s just out of practice, but Rahmi can’t read Faoric’s tone. He laughs quietly despite himself.</p><p>“Well, that’s no way of saying hello, sir.” His tone is teasing, but Rahmi does feel a little disappointment creep in. But then, what was he really expecting? Maybe he should be happy that Faoric isn’t worrying over him or doting on him… Actually, as he thinks of that, Rahmi feels suddenly relieved. That sort of behavior coming from Faoric would be too weird. “I’m awake now, and feeling fine. I don’t think I’ll be sleeping again for a while, though.”</p><p>“Understandable after your current plight.” Faoric pulls up a chair for himself, his eyes narrowing as he stares at Rahmi. “I am, however, speaking of your dream. Lameraigne reported to me what she viewed on the surface level, but was reluctant to disclose further detail.”</p><p>“Surface level?” Rahmi considers it for a moment. By ‘surface level’, Faoric probably means the angry Rahmi who stayed with the butterflies, the one Aniqe first encountered. But that part wasn’t exactly ‘surface’, not to Rahmi. The two halves of him in that dream were equal, both full of their own feelings and trying to cope… “You mean the me who was angry?”</p><p>“Correct.”</p><p>Rahmi stays silent for a while, trying to ignore Faoric’s stare. It’s not like Faoric couldn’t figure out how he’s been feeling lately. The killoren said as much before, when they spoke alone. Rahmi<em> did </em>hear him then. Honestly, the guilt made him want to sleep even more deeply…</p><p>“...I’m not going to give up.” Rahmi finally answers, his voice calm despite his racing heart. “I heard what you said when I was sleeping. I won’t deny that the dream was nice, but I’m not going to let myself sink back into it. I would… also prefer not to tell you what was within the dream-- Not because I’m trying to hide it from you, but because I think I’d be tempted to go back if I talked about it again.” He manages a weak smile, meeting Faoric’s eyes. “Besides… You know me pretty well. I think you can probably figure it out on your own, Razeiya.”</p><p>“Hm.” Faoric nods slowly, straightening in the chair. “That is information enough for me to deduce what it is you dreamt. But your affairs are your own, at least in this… However, there is more we must discuss.”</p><p>“Are you putting me back to work already?” Rahmi can’t help laughing. Leave it to Faoric to not waste a second...</p><p>“This is not regarding your work. I speak of the debt under which I was placed in trying to retrieve you from your slumber.” Faoric’s eyes narrow, and Rahmi quiets.</p><p>“Debt…?” Whatever humor Rahmi had before is gone. “Um… What exactly did you do to wake me up…?”</p><p>“We were required to enlist the help of Rajanus Sechariel’s knight. Had he cooperated on his own, payment would not have been necessary, but he refused to assist Lameraigne until ordered by Rajanus.” Faoric lets out a muted sigh. “I accepted this trade. As a result, you and I both are now under her hand until our debt to her is paid in full.”</p><p>“You-- You did what?” Rahmi shakes his head. “Razeiya, <em> why…?  </em>She’s going to… You know she’s going to make me give Zaiphoros back to you, right? And who knows what else on top of that? What if she--”</p><p>“Romazi. Calm yourself.”</p><p>“Sorry.” Rahmi’s shoulders sink, and he sighs. “That’s just… That’s a really heavy debt. I don’t understand why you would do that… especially not for me.”</p><p>“An investment, Romazi, in our future.” Faoric shakes his head slowly, as though that was meant to be obvious. “Need I remind you that you play a key role in securing my goals? This was not a bid of sentiment, but one of practicality. Waiting any longer for your awakening would have been impractical at best, as well as risking further damage to your mental state.” Faoric closes his eyes, and Rahmi watches him take a breath. “Rajanus may make demands, but you may rest assured that she will not remove my sword from your hand, nor you from my employ.”</p><p>“Right… I didn’t mean to take it personally.” Rahmi tries to smile, but he can’t quite manage it. “I apologize for putting you in that situation. But as long as you think it’s something we can pay off, I’m not going to doubt you.”</p><p>Faoric doesn’t answer him. Rahmi closes his eyes, already beginning to feel the pain of being awake once more. Being around Faoric is hard, especially when the killoren is making these sudden, heavy decisions without even considering how Rahmi might feel about them… </p><p>“Once more, Romazi.” Faoric rises from his chair, and Rahmi blinks. </p><p>“Renew your oath to me once again. Face this new trial, not as my subordinate, but as my equal. Grace your master, and yourself, with the confidence to face these dangers as they come.” Rahmi watches in awe as Faoric delivers the missive with calm, unshaken confidence--not dismissive, not derisive, but determined. “Remind yourself what it means to persevere in the face of darkness, as you have always done, and rise to your feet again.”</p><p>“Faoric…” Rahmi can’t catch himself from not using the killoren’s title in time, but Faoric’s expression doesn’t change--he merely stares at Rahmi, offering his hand with a stern gaze.</p><p>“Remind yourself, Rahmi, of what it means to be my knight.” He’s calm, unafraid… It inspires Rahmi, quieting his racing heart. Faoric is right. Even if Rajanus comes to them with her debt, demanding what she will, they can face it. <em> Rahmi </em> can face it. He’s strong, even in his moments of weakness… Faoric isn’t making decisions without him. He’s making them knowing that Rahmi can bear the weight of them, no matter what it takes. And he’s right.</p><p>Taking that curse and not hurting his friends counted for something, after all. He didn’t withdraw without reason--he protected them, the way he’ll do with everyone he cares for.</p><p>Yes… Rahmi will protect Faoric. Rahmi will protect them <em> all</em>.</p><p>He takes the killoren’s hand and slowly, shakily, climbs out of the bed and up to his feet. His legs do tremble a bit from the effort, but Faoric’s grip is strong, more than enough to support Rahmi.</p><p>“...Very good.” Faoric nods. “You will still need time to recover physically, I see, but your mind remains resilient.”</p><p>“Always, sir.” Rahmi smiles slightly, still holding onto Faoric’s hand for support. “I’ll resume training when I’m able to… Especially with the power I have, I doubt this will keep me down for long.”</p><p>“Even so, do not overdo it. Rest as needed until you are recovered. I anticipate that we will all require you at your full strength in the coming days.” Faoric releases him--and, to Rahmi’s shock, gently touches his shoulder and guides him back towards the bed. He tries not to take it for more than what it is, a gentle guiding force for Rahmi to steady himself, but even then Rahmi can’t help but smile a little. Faoric’s always doing that for him, whether he means to or not. He supports Rahmi, even when he’s doubting himself…</p><p>“I’ll do what I need to to get myself back in fighting shape.” Rahmi stares up at Faoric from his seated position, releasing the killoren’s hand of his own accord. “But I still won’t make you wait too long, okay? That wouldn’t be like me!”</p><p>“It would not.” The faintest of smiles flits across Faoric’s lips, and that makes Rahmi grin in his own right. “You are nothing if not consistent, Romazi.”</p><p>“I’m gonna take that as a compliment.” Rahmi chuckles, pushing himself back under the covers and into a more comfortable position. “I’ll come report to you when I’m feeling better. I know you’ve got enough to do without having to pay visits to me here… If you don’t mind, though, could you maybe make sure that no one but you or Aniqe visits me for now? I need some time to reflect.”</p><p>“I will make the order. Now, rest.” Faoric turns away, making for the door. Despite himself, Rahmi can feel butterflies in his stomach… He got a smile out of Faoric. That’s pretty rare.</p><p>“One last thing, Razeiya?”</p><p>Faoric silently turns to face Rahmi, and he stares at the killoren for a moment. Faoric is expressionless as ever, holding his familiar dignified stance and empty frown…</p><p>That makes it plain to Rahmi that he’s not dreaming anymore. The Faoric in his dream… Well, he was nothing like this. And that’s good. Rahmi prefers the killoren this way. Anything else, no matter how appealing, just wouldn’t be the Faoric he knows and loves.</p><p>“...Romazi?” Faoric tilts his head just barely, and Rahmi smiles.</p><p>“Just checking that I’m really awake.” He chuckles. “If I were still dreaming, you probably would have smiled at me by now…”</p><p>“I see.” Faoric nods, turning away once more. Rahmi lets him go this time, satisfied with the answers he’s gotten.</p><p>The door shuts and Rahmi lays back in his bed once more, shutting his eyes. Maybe he won’t sleep for now, but… with nothing else to do, he wouldn’t mind getting lost in a few daydreams of his own choosing. He lets himself muse on things both familiar and unfamiliar, of Faoric’s smile and Aniqe’s laugh, and, with a chuckle of his own, Rahmi lets his mind settle at last into thoughts of swordplay, and of how he’ll get back into his feet soon enough.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> One month later… </em>
</p><p>“Rahmi? Florian’s here.”</p><p>It takes a good thirty seconds for Rahmi to emerge from his office when Aniqe calls. He’s got bad bedhead that’s obvious even with his short hair, though she supposes that it being freshly cut is making that more apparent. He looks good and healthy for only having been out of bed for a month despite that--Aniqe tried to ask for his secret to recovering so smoothly, but Rahmi had only shaken his head and told her that it was a secret with a wink.</p><p>Even after all of this, she really can’t understand him sometimes.</p><p>“S-Sorry about that!” Rahmi is still adjusting his armor, the new heavy-looking sky blue full plate that he’s been wearing since he woke up. Florian, standing by the door, looks only mildly exasperated. Aniqe can see a faint little smile on her face, and she chuckles as Rahmi stumbles over to his desk, scrabbling for some papers.</p><p>“Is everything alright…?” Florian strolls over to Rahmi’s desk with far more grace, helping Rahmi to gather a few letters.</p><p>“Yeah, I just, um… You know, I wanted to make sure you didn’t have to worry too much, so I decided to take a nap before we had to go.” Rahmi laughs nervously. “I know it’s not really much, but I asked my friends to do the same so we can focus on fighting when we need to.”</p><p>“Diligent, though it won’t stop the nightmare from manifesting when you DO need to rest… Nevertheless, I appreciate it.” Florian nods, looking Rahmi over. “Are you ready, then?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Rahmi is pulling himself together now, putting the forms away into his backpack. “Got the papers for everyone to be in Eyrien, the forms we need to enter the carrier… Armor’s polished, Zaiphoros is sharpened, and I’m fully awake now!”</p><p>“Very good.” Florian turns to nod to Aniqe, and she offers him a little smile in return. “Best of luck with your own work, Miss Lameraigne.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Aniqe looks back at her gradually thinning stack of paper--the lowest it’s been in a long while. Faoric finally made good on his word and got a helping hand to fill in as bureaucrat, leaving Aniqe free at last to return to her usual studies. But even so… “Good luck to you both. Rahmi, if you see Parable…”</p><p>“I’ll tell him to come home. And I won’t take no for an answer!” Rahmi beams, moving to stand beside her desk for a moment. “Really though. I’ll find him, and we’ll fix the reason he decided to leave… Right, Florian?”</p><p>“...Yes.” Aniqe catches a hint of discomfort in Florian’s voice for some reason, but it seems to clear up quickly. Well, maybe Rahmi will tell her about it when he gets back. She trusts him. “We should be off. We’ve delayed long enough.”</p><p>“Wait-- Sorry, one last thing.” Rahmi raises his voice a bit, and both she and Florian turn to him. He clears his throat and sets his shoulders, hands balling into fists for just a moment.</p><p>“While you’re both here, I just wanted to say… Thank you.” He looks between the two of them, smiling. “You both worked so hard to bring me home, and I wanted to acknowledge that. I don’t have anything I can give you as thanks, but nonetheless, I want you to know how much it means to me that you went out of your way to help me, orders or not. It must have been hard to reach out of your comfort zones to do so much… So really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”</p><p>“...Oh.” Aniqe is surprised by how formal Rahmi’s being, and the lack of a joking tone in his voice. She smiles a bit, holding back a joke of her own in favor of acknowledging his feelings. “You’re welcome, Rahmi.”</p><p>“Miss Lameraigne did most of the work. I simply assisted when I was able to.” Florian nods, but after a moment, averts his eyes. “...But yes, you are welcome. Things simply would not be the same if you weren’t around.”</p><p>“I…” Rahmi sighs, the warm smile still on his face. It’s nice to see him this way, genuinely happy despite what’s happening…</p><p>“Agreed.” Aniqe nods, picking up her pen to give herself an excuse to look away. “It’s good to have you back.”</p><p>“...Well.” Rahmi straightens up, looking back to Florian. “We should get going.”</p><p>“Indeed. Farewell for now, Miss Lameraigne.” Florian offers her a quick bow before exiting. Rahmi hovers beside her desk for a moment, still looking down at her.</p><p>“Get going,” she urges him, trying not to smile and show her embarrassment. “We can talk more when you come back.”</p><p>“Yeah. I’ll see you.”</p><p>She glances up to look at him for one more moment, and blinks with surprise when Rahmi leans down to kiss her head, letting his fingers brush her shoulder gently.</p><p>“Got you back,” he says cheerfully, standing back up and strolling for the door. “Bye Aniqe!”</p><p>“...<em> honestly.</em>” He closes the door before Aniqe’s answer can reach him. She’s thankful for it since she can feel her face heating up quickly, shaking her head as she gently touches her forehead where he kissed it…</p><p>She rises from her desk, shaking her head. There’s no way she can keep working like this… She paces over to her own office and lays down in her bed, closing her eyes. With things finally resolved, she can afford a short nap.</p><p>With nothing more on her mind Aniqe dozes off, and finds her sleep pleasantly dreamless.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And with that, the story is finished! I rarely write long, extended stories with my OCs that I actually finish, so it was nice to reach a proper conclusion. If you read this, thank you! I hope you enjoyed, and that you were able to understand even if you weren't familiar with the characters. Only Rahmi is mine, but I love these guys very dearly and get so much joy out of writing about them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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